Three out of four Brits are reducing consumption of products that “have a harmful impact” on the environment or their health, according to a new survey. Some 46% say they have actively cut use of plastic. One in five are eating less meat, with most (56%) doing so for health reasons or “the greater good” (39%). The…

UK shoppers are less concerned about sustainability than their European counterparts, according to IRI’s latest European Shopper Insights Survey. The research involved 3,300 consumers from seven European countries, including more than 500 in the UK. It showed that: 65% of UK consumers prefer to buy products from companies that demonstrate fairness, transparency and integrity (versus…

Retailers have been accused of taking a “pick-and-mix” approach to reducing plastic and lacking a “coherent vision” for tackling pollution. A new analysis has found that ten of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains are putting over 800,000 tonnes of single-use plastic on the market every year. Greenpeace UK and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) asked…

Demand for vegetarian and meat-free foods continues to rise in the UK, with 34% of consumers having limited or reduced their meat consumption this year. This rises to 40% amongst 25- to 34-year-olds, according to new research published by Mintel. The shift towards flexitarian diets is driven by health (32%), saving money (31%) and environmental…

Food suppliers are reporting increased packaging, energy and ingredients costs amid a general fall in business confidence linked to Brexit uncertainty. The Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) latest business confidence survey also revealed that over a third (38%) of food and drink manufacturers surveyed are facing rising costs as a result of stockpiling ahead of…

Businesses need to involve themselves more deeply in sustainable food and nutrition initiatives if the food system is to move onto a more sustainable path. This was one of the key conclusions of a new report by SustainAbility and WWF which mapped existing global initiatives addressing sustainable food systems and diets and identified opportunities and…

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé were the most frequent companies identified in 239 litter clean-ups and brand audits spanning 42 countries and six continents, according to campaign group Break Free From Plastic. Teams audited over 187,000 pieces of plastic waste, identifying thousands of different brands. The worst offenders, in order of most frequent brands collected in…

Aldi customers care more about fair working conditions in the supply chain than those who shop at other major supermarkets. However, Aldi came bottom of an independent scorecard this year that assessed human rights policies in the food chain. The new YouGov poll, commissioned by Oxfam, showed that 87% of Aldi shoppers believe it is…

Supermarkets and fast-food outlets face restrictions on promoting ‘junk’ foods under new proposals put forward by the Scottish Government. Outlawing super-sizing and free refills of sugary soft drinks, clamping down on multi-buy promotions, and restricting junk food at checkouts are among actions being considered to improve Scotland’s health. Other restrictions on foods high in fat,…