Comment

COMMENT: Vigilance needed to fend off food crime

COMMENT: Vigilance needed to fend off food crime
A huge spike in commodity prices creates the perfect set of conditions for criminal activity in the food supply chain, says Nick Hughes. Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the ‘horsegate’ scandal in which horsemeat was illegally substituted for beef in a range of retail and foodservice products. The scandal was front page…
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Comment: Addicted to greenwash

Comment: Addicted to greenwash
The coffee sector is making more environmental claims than ever but brands need to tread very carefully, says David Burrows.  Why do food and drink brands greenwash? It is a question I’ve been mulling over recently after being invited on the Adventures in Coffee podcast to discuss this very hot topic.  Coffee as a sector…
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Has our food system become too global?

Has our food system become too global?
Brexit, covid and the war in Ukraine must force a re-think in our approach to food trade, production and values, says David Read. In the past three decades, food pricing has transformed from being fundamentally national to truly global. When supply shrinks from one key country prices rise in all geographic markets. And strong domestic…
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COMMENT: Government must see past junk food chicanery

COMMENT: Government must see past junk food chicanery
Ministers are right to look at ways to make food more affordable amid a cost of living crisis, but parking a promotions ban is not one of them, says Nick Hughes. The cost of living crisis is biting and the statistics make for grim reading. Even taking into account measures announced in the chancellor’s spring…
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COMMENT: Don’t be silenced by greenwashing fears

COMMENT: Don’t be silenced by greenwashing fears
Raw, honest and transparent communications about the environment can make for powerful advertising, says James Edney. Call-outs of brands overstating or misrepresenting their green credentials in their advertising and marketing is becoming commonplace. Most recently it was Innocent caught in the greenwashing crossfire, with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling that the company’s latest advert…
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Comment: More but better plants, please

Comment: More but better plants, please
Plant-based foods are popular but foodservice companies need to ensure they are offering ‘better’ products and dishes, says Mark Driscoll. The plant-based market has exploded in the last few years. More citizens than ever are turning to plant-based products as alternatives to meat, dairy and other livestock derived foods. Some 13% of UK citizens are flexitarian,…
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Plant-based sales lift lasts beyond Veganuary

Plant-based sales lift lasts beyond Veganuary
New research shows January promotions can increase purchases of vegan and vegetarian products for months, but the impact on sales of meat is minimal. By Joanna Trewern.  Veganuary is all about promoting plant-based products and encouraging consumers to buy and eat more of them. It’s an opportunity for businesses of all shapes and sizes to highlight…
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Food packaging: unwanted villain or unsung hero?

Food packaging: unwanted villain or unsung hero?
There are signs that the demonisation of certain materials is giving way to a more collaborative approach, say IOM3’s Jude Allan and Colin Church. Primary packaging – especially for food and drink – plays three main roles. Firstly, it protects the product from manufacture to shelf to consumer cupboard, reducing food waste and in turn…
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A new dawn for sustainability

A new dawn for sustainability
The dual crises of Covid and climate change have brought into sharp focus the vulnerability of traditional operating models. A return to business as usual is not a viable option, says Nick Hughes. It is a little over a month since coronavirus restrictions in England were lifted and the hospitality sector was able to fully…
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