All news articles for June 2016

Christine Tacon warned against widening her remit

Grocery Code Adjudicator warns against widening powers

By Noli Dinkovski

The adjudicator responsible for good retailer practice has claimed any extension of the code to include suppliers would require a “totally different scale of job” that was impossible to achieve under her present remit.

The Från Början team pick up their Ecotrophelia UK 2016 winner’s cheque from M&S’s Sue Bell

Nottingham Trent students win Ecotrophelia UK

By Rick Pendrous

A student team from Nottingham Trent University has scooped the gold prize for their low-fat, non-dairy ice cream made with algal protein, in the UK leg of Ecotrophelia 2016 – the pan-European competition for ecologically inspired innovative new product...

Sainsbury: posted a 0.8% fall in like-for-like retail sales (excluding fuel) for the 12 weeks to June 4

Sainsbury Q1 results not ‘a car crash’

By Noli Dinkovski

Sainsbury has posted worse than expected quarter one (Q1) results in the wake of increased competition – but they are “far from a car crash” – a leading City analyst has claimed.

Obesity forum not planning to replace board members

Obesity forum: ‘No plans’ to replace board members

By Gwen Ridler

The National Obesity Forum (NOF) has no plans to replace the four members who resigned last week – after a controversial pro-fat report was released by mistake – according to the organisation.

Welsh bakery Winning Blend created 55 new jobs thanks to a government grant

55 new jobs created at Welsh Bakery

By Gwen Ridler

Welsh bakery Winning Blend has created 55 new jobs after securing £340,000 of funding from the Wales Economic Growth Fund.

Food manufacturers could face ‘severe’ consequences if Britons vote to leave the EU, warns a logistics provider

Brexit debate

Brexit could have ‘severe’ trade impact on food firms

By Michelle Perrett

Brexit could have “severe” consequences for food manufacturers that trade with EU countries, as they could face delivery delays and customs barriers, a logistics supplier has warned. 

Cured meat processors fear EU cuts on nitrites

Cured meat firms fear EC nitrite cuts

By Rick Pendrous

Processed meat producers worry that the European Commission (EC) could reduce the maximum level of nitrites that are allowed to be used as a preservative in cured meat products such as ham.

Foods that tapped into the health and wellbeing agenda offer ‘massive opportunity’

Health agenda is a big opportunity for bakery

By Noli Dinkovski

Foods that tap into the health and wellbeing agenda provide a “massive opportunity” for industry innovators and entrepreneurs – but making money from healthy products remains a huge challenge.

The soft drinks sugar tax could cost Coca-Cola £226M a year

Coca-Cola could face £226M sugar tax

By Gwen Ridler

The Coca-Cola Company could face a bill as high as £226M a year under the sugar tax, if it doesn’t pass on the increased charge for its sugary drinks to consumers, according to market research firm Euromonitor.

Amazon Fresh: ‘Will need to find a way to build its quality credentials across typically unbranded food products’

Amazon Fresh faces huge ‘quality’ challenge

By Noli Dinkovski

Amazon faces a number of challenges if its new food delivery service Fresh is going to succeed – but its price leadership position could make it a big threat to the multiples – a leading food specialist has claimed.

A vote to leave the EU will hit UK food manufacturing, according to our new survey

Exclusive

Brexit will ‘damage UK food manufacturing’: survey

By Rick Pendrous

Most respondents (60%) in a ‘state-of-the-industry’ survey, conducted by this website, fear a vote to leave the EU on June 23 will be bad for their businesses, increasing the costs of imported ingredients, while hitting exports and access to labour from...

Don't miss the latest Innovation in food products

The latest food innovation – in pictures

By Michelle Perrett

Halal, Italian and Japanese were among the sources of inspiration behind some of the most innovative food launches over the past month.  

Unite has accused Arla Foods of not properly consulting over the closure of its Peverel Dairy in Essex

Unite starts legal proceedings against Arla Foods

By Michelle Perrett

Unite, the union, said it has instigated legal proceedings against Arla Foods, claiming it failed to “properly” consult over the possible loss of 230 jobs at the Hatfield Peverel dairy in March.

Special K Biscuit Moments and Cheetos were among the recalled products

Undeclared allergens cause food recalls

By Gwen Ridler

Salmon skewers, cheese snacks and breakfast snacks were some of the products recalled last month over reports of undeclared allergens, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Scotland’s bottle deposit return scheme would cost producers: Partington

Scots ‘bottle tax’ fears for UK drinks industry

By Noli Dinkovski

Drinks companies would suffer “very significant financial implications” if the Scottish government were to implement a ‘bottle tax’ through a nationwide deposit return system on beverage containers, the head of a leading trade body has claimed.

The sugar tax poses more questions than answers said Dominic Watkins

Sugar tax is destined to fail, claims legal expert

By Noli Dinkovski

The proposed sugar tax on soft drinks is likely to fail in its intended aim of reducing calorie intake as consumers will simply trade down to cheaper, own-label variants, a leading legal food specialist has claimed.

Dietary guidance from National Obesity Forum is attacked

‘Irresponsible’ dietary guidance under flak

By Rick Pendrous

A report from the National Obesity Forum (NOF) in association with Public Health Collaboration has come under flak from Public Health England (PHE), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) for providing bad nutritional...

UK sales: R&R clams slow market conditions and the timing of promotions has affected performance

Sales fall 1.3% at R&R Ice Cream

By Noli Dinkovski

R&R Ice Cream has posted a 1.3% drop in sales for the first quarter of 2016 as its acquisition of Nestlé’s South Africa business, fluctuating exchange rates, and tough European trading conditions hit like-for-like performance.

Heavier beef carcases could incur penalties

Beef farmers could be penalised for heavier carcases

By Rick Pendrous

Heavier beef carcases intended to deliver leaner meat yields and attract premium prices for livestock producers could end up incurring additional penalties if processors reduce their maximum weight limits, a new study has suggested.

Depol 40L: allows more vanillin to be produced, making limited quantities extend as far as possible

New enzyme to allay vanilla shortage fears

By Noli Dinkovski

An enzyme designed to mitigate the current supply shortage of vanilla by helping to extract the maximum amount from each production run has been made available from Biocatalysts.

Information from whistleblowers will be treated in confidence, claims FSA

Food fraud remains a threat to UK firms

By Noli Dinkovski

There is “no obvious evidence” of organised crime in the UK food industry, but food fraud remained an ongoing threat, a leading figure at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has claimed.

Nick Hay called for more collaboration in supply chains

More supply chain collaboration is needed: Nick Hay

By Noli Dinkovski

Food producers are missing out on “untapped opportunities” that can only be realised by closer collaboration across the supply chain, according to the head of a logistics firm. 

Should the National Food Crime Unit have more policing powers?

Food Crime Unit review could see radical change

By Rick Pendrous

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is about to commission an independent review of its National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), set up in December 2014 in the wake of the 2013 horsemeat scandal, which could see it moved away from the FSA and take on more policing...

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