More than a third of UK consumers believe food and drink firms are not transparent enough when it comes to product recalls, according to standards and barcode provider GS1 UK.
Prepared foods manufacturer Greencore is in dispute with the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) for hiring agency staff to meet demand while lower paid employees remain on furlough.
Prepared foods manufacturer Bakkavor has denied strike action occurred at its Wiltshire cake factory, after confirming cases of coronavirus there as it announced the planned closure of its Alresford salad plant, affecting 100 jobs.
The drinks trade has faced one of its “most challenging times ever” Dayalan Nayager, managing director, Diageo Great Britain, Ireland and France has said.
Heineken claims the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a “major negative macroeconomic development” that is having a “significant impact” on its markets and business in 2020.
Milk, cheese and butter sales boomed in retail during lockdown as consumers drank hot beverages and scratch cooked at home, new data from marketing campaign, Milk Your Moment has revealed.
The rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the drastic lockdown restrictions, has left many businesses – particularly those that rely on heavy footfall – in dire financial circumstances.
European Freeze Dry has announced a £1.5m investment in its factories in Preston, Lancashire, and Kirke Hyllinge in Denmark to meet soaring demand for its freeze-dried ingredients and ready meals.
MPs have praised the food industry for developing its own guidance in the “vacuum left by Government” when the coronavirus pandemic began to be felt in the UK.
Convenience food manufacturer Greencore has restarted production at a number of its sites across the UK, as it reported the impact of coronavirus on its sales in its third-quarter financial results.
Harwich-based wholesaler Surya Foods has said it is continuing to prioritise the safety of its staff after five coronavirus cases were found at its site.
The National Food Strategy has intensified pressure on food manufacturers to support healthy eating, with author Henry Dimbleby claiming the industry clothes “itself and its products in false virtue”.
Many food and drink manufacturers have made use of the lifeline provided by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – particularly those with production lines purposed for the foodservice industry, where demand has significantly reduced.
Hundreds of employees at a tomato packing site in Worcestershire supplying retailers including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and the Co-op are being tested for COVID-19, after 14 members of staff tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
