Everything you need to know about Seasonal Worker visas
There are several challenges and question marks that remain around Seasonal Worker visas, Denise Osterwald, legal director in the immigration team at Birketts LLP explores...
Supply Chain
EU Council backs EUDR simplification and delay - so what now?
The EU Council has agreed to a one-year delay to EUDR, which would see the deadline for medium- and large-sized companies move to 30 December 2026.
Government has ‘no coordinated food resilience plan’, says food trade body boss
The UK ‘cannot afford to continue in this way or the consequences for it and the welfare and lives of its citizens could be dire’, director general of the Provision Trade Federation (PTF) Rod Addy tells influential Parliamentary group.
Co-op warns 150k jobs at risk without urgent business rates reform
The retailer is calling for the Autumn Budget to include a meaningful long-term reduction in rate bills, with 77% of small high street shop owners in England saying a reform is essential for survival.
What retailers really want: Six ways to build better supplier partnerships
Drawing on insights from the latest Fearless Foodies Podcast, host Amy Wilkinson explores how Tesco’s director of product development and innovation, Breige Donaghy, is reshaping supplier relationships.
Aldi remains UK’s cheapest supermarket as Lidl invests £250M into price cuts
Aldi has kept hold of its crown as the UK’s cheapest supermarket, while second place Lidl makes a major investment in price cuts in the run up to Christmas.
Suppliers still hesitant to report retail issues, despite ‘no retaliation’ promise
Going forwards, the Adjudicator, Mark White, said he is focusing on fixing payment, forecasting and delisting issues which were all flagged as big issues among suppliers.
UK wholesaler Parfetts opens new depot in Southampton
UK-based wholesaler Parfetts has opened its new depot in Southampton.
Farmers demand fair treatment by supermarkets as new watchdog debated
Nearly 30 MPs have backed the creation of a new watchdog tasked with addressing the imbalance of power between supermarkets and British farmers.
Unite secures recognition for members at UK cold storage site
Unite the Union has been officially recognised as the trade union representative of the workers at a cold storage warehousing site in Peterborough.
Food prices continue to climb
The Labour Government have come under fire following an unexpected rise in inflation, with several food and drink commodities hitting double digits.
HGV driver market facing ‘complete shortage’ by 2029
The UK is facing a ‘complete shortage’ of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers by 2029, Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has warned.
Nurture Brands switches charitable donations to FareShare
Nurture Brands has announced that all its future charitable donations will go to FareShare.
Harnessing blockchain to solve supply chain and circular economy challenges
Clare Adelgren, global head of blockchain sales and operations at EY, discusses the role blockchain could play in the transition towards a circular economy.
Co-op to stop trading with Israel after member vote at AGM
Co-op has announced that it will cease trading with Israel after 73% of its members backed a motion calling for the move at last month’s AGM.
How to tackle data chaos
Earlier this month, Food Manufacture and TraceGains brought together a group of industry representatives to discuss the topic of data dominance and how information can be translated into meaningful action for business efficiency, food safety, NPD and...
Farmer facing £40,000 bill after 200 tonnes of rubbish dumped on farm
A farmer fears that he could face a £40,000 bill to clear more than 200 tonnes of rubbish that was fly-tipped on his farm.
£13.6m grants announced to support food redistribution
Grants totalling £13.6 million have been offered to 12 food charities in England to support the redistribution of an estimated 19,000 tonnes of food directly from farms in order to fight food poverty.
Aldi freezes price of baby formula
Aldi has pledged to freeze the price of its own brand baby formula for the rest of this year.
Aldi opening 10 UK stores this summer
Aldi has announced that it will open 10 new stores in the UK this summer.
Unitas Wholesale welcomes new on-trade member
An independent brewer and wholesaler from East Anglia has joined Unitas Wholesale as an on-trade member.
Simplified ingredients lists and their impact on the supply chain
As a growing number of food and drink manufacturers explore simplified ingredients lists, Food Manufacture looks at the supply chain challenges that may arise should you choose to transition away from more complex formulations.
Unitas hires new trading director
Unitas Wholesale has announced that Gurms Athwal is set to join the business as its new trading director.
Precision breeding legislation backed by parliament
The production of precision-bred crops is set to become legal in England after secondary legislation covering the area received backing in parliament.
New system to help cut the financial and reputational costs of recalls
A new piece of software that could help cut the financial and reputational costs of food and drink recalls has been launched by Marketpoint Recall.
Coca-Cola HBC extends partnership with Wincanton
Coca-Cola HBC has extended its long-term partnership with supply chain and logistics company Wincanton.
English wholesaler acquired by United Wholesale Scotland
Leading Scottish wholesaler United Wholesale Scotland (UWS) has announced the acquisition of London-based firm Time Wholesale Services (TWS).
HGV drivers warned of summer safety risks
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers have been warned of the risks they face making deliveries during the summer months.
Avoiding food scarcity: A supply-chain wake-up call
Recent headlines illustrate that food scarcity is no longer a distant risk - it’s becoming a growing reality. Dave Howorth, executive director at global supply chain and logistics consultancy, SCALA, looks at the risks and how the supply chain can build...
Deliveroo backs £2.9bn acquisition offer from DoorDash
Deliveroo has reached an agreement with DoorDash that will see the UK food delivery firm acquired for £2.9 billion.
JJ Foodservice unveils ‘wholesale sector first’ self-service kiosks
Wholesaler JJ Foodservice has introduced self-service kiosks across all 12 of its UK distribution sites.
Birds Eye rolls out solar-powered refrigerated trailers
Frozen food firm Birds Eye is rolling out two new solar-powered refrigerated trailers as part of its partnership with European shipping and logistics firm DFDS and British sustainable-powered refrigeration specialists Sunswap.
Farmland values rise during Q1
The value of farmland in England and Wales increased during the first quarter of 2025, according to property consultancy Carter Jonas.
Sainsbury’s profits top £1 billion
Sainsbury’s has reported an underlying operating profit of more than £1 billion for the 52-week period ending 1 March 2025.
Tesco profits top £3 billion
Tesco has reported an adjusted operating profit of £3.1 billion for the 12-month period ending 22 February 2025.
Iceland last among supermarkets on cage-free egg commitment
Iceland is not on track to fulfil its commitment to only source eggs from cage-free hens by the end of 2025, according to a new report.
HGV driver numbers in UK rise 13%
The number of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers employed in the UK increased by 13% year-on-year during Q4 of last year.
Asda announces senior supply chain team appointment
Asda has announced the appointment of Gavin Chappell as its new vice president of food and general merchandising supply.
How to enhance resilience and productivity in the face of geopolitical instability
Businesses are strengthening their supply chains following Trump trade war fears. Here, Nick Petschek, MD EMEA at global change management firm Kotter International, explores the strategies producers should take to ensure workers remain productive.
UK food security in ‘precarious state’
A critical warning has been issued by the National Preparedness Commission over the condition of the UK’s food security, with risks to the nation’s food system ‘more pronounced than ever before’.
Global food supply chain thefts rise by 79%
New analysis from BSI Consulting shows that most sectors experienced a spike in thefts in 2024, with food and drink topping the charts.
Aldi investing £67m in UK stores
Aldi has announced plans to invest £67 million in upgrading its existing UK stores during 2025.
HGV driver shortages: Delivery delays and hiring struggles
With heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver numbers continuing to fall, we asked Keith Hawes, director of Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, about the potential implications for the food and drink sector and the causes of the trend.
£762m merger could ‘raise logistics costs’
The independent inquiry group for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has delivered the initial assessment that GXO’s purchase of Wincanton is likely to reduce competition within the UK logistics sector.
Morrisons full-year sales up 4.1%
Supermarket retailer Morrisons saw like-for-like sales increase 4.1% during the 12-month period ending 27 October 2024.
Farmland retains its inherent resilience
The farmland market saw a marginal increase in 2024, despite fears that the inheritance tax raid would knock it down.
Aldi festive sales top £1.6bn
Discount retailer Aldi enjoyed a record setting Christmas period in 2024, with sales exceeding £1.6bn in the four weeks up to Christmas Eve.
Lidl toasts record festive sales
Lidl has reported record-breaking festive sales as the retailer saw turnover exceed £1bn in the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve for the first time.
Government pledges to create food strategy in 2025
The secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs Steve Reed has said the UK Government will work with the industry to create a food strategy in the first half of 2025.
5 strategies for retailers and manufacturers to maximise profits over the festive period
Occasions such as Christmas represent both a critical opportunity and an incredibly high-stakes challenge for retailers and manufacturers alike. Peter Hatfield, director at 4C Associates, offers key insight into grasping the opportunity that comes with...