Foodservice News Analysis

Foodservice news analysis. Get the inside track on the key stories breaking in the foodservice sector, from Footprint’s expert researchers and editorial team.

Compostables: (138,000) tonnes of potential

A new report examines the costs and benefits of compostable packaging for the UK market. David Burrows takes a closer look. The Plastics in the Bioeconomy report published this month may well have passed you by. However, the 50-odd pages, compiled by Ricardo Energy & Environment for the Biomass Refinery Network, offered arguably the first…

Will a ‘dream’ to tax unhealthy food become a reality?

Given the nature of her public statements, the industry shouldn't be surprised if, in a review commissioned by the government, England's chief medical officer recommends the taxing of unhealthy foods, writes David Burrows. Health secretary Matt Hancock has commissioned England's chief medical officer (CMO) Professor Dame Sally Davies to “urgently review” what more can be…

Glass Half Full: Firms unveil an array of waste-cutting initiatives

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to the world of waste we go for our regulartrawl through the food sector’s good news stories. Nick Hughes reports. First up in our latest roundup of noteworthy initiatives is a waste-reduction effort by AMT Fruit, which supplies Tesco with 11m boxes of fruit each year. Operational waste has been slashed…

Is foodservice ready for full ingredient labelling?

In the wake of high-profile allergy deaths, the FSA is supporting moves to make full ingredient labelling mandatory for packaged food served outside the home. But the proposed solution won’t be welcomed universally, reports Nick Hughes. The determined efforts of allergen campaigners have paid off. Earlier this month, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) backed mandatory…

PLASTICS PACKAGE: The final straw? (and stirrer)

This month’s package is so full of stuff that even a rotting biodegradable bag might tear under the strain. Plastic straws, drinks stirrers and cotton buds will be banned in England from April next year. This follows “overwhelming public support” for the move, according to DEFRA. England uses an estimated 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316m…

With climate change high up on the news agenda thanks to the likes of teenage activist Greta Thunberg, the results of one poll show that consumers would welcome the re-introduction of carbon labels. David Burrows reports. WHAT’S THE STORY? In a YouGov survey of 9,037 adults in seven countries – Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, the…

The ‘stars align’ for an English food strategy

Attempts to deliver a national food strategy for England haven’t succeeded in the past, but with Henry Dimbleby now in charge of finding a solution, there are reasons to be optimistic of a positive outcome this time around. Nick Hughes reports. It’s difficult to dispute the notion that Theresa May has the toughest job in…

Analysis: Call time on outdoor junk food ads for kids

A new report proposes improved regulation to prevent junk food advertising from targeting children outdoors, writes Nick Hughes. A great British institution it may be, but the telephone box is increasingly a relic of a bygone age. Or is it? The reality may come as a surprise to those of us who assumed phone boxes…

In the post-Blue Planet era of anti-plastic sentiment, dubious claims regarding biodegradability and sustainability are on the rise, finds David Burrows. But are companies being crafty or just confused? Last year, Ancol Pet Products ran the following claim on its website for a product it was selling: "Refill Poop Bag Rolls … These thick waste…

Online marketing of unhealthy products needs to be tightened up, according to the World Health Organisation, but the UK food industry doesn’t agree. Children in Europe are still “regularly exposed to digital marketing of many unhealthy products”, including foods high in fat, salt and sugar [HFSS] and alcoholic drinks. That was the conclusion of WHO’s…