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Can Scotland afford to lose its bottle over DRS?

A deposit return scheme could deliver considerable environmental benefits but what started as a beautifully simple concept has turned complicated and ugly. By David Burrows By the time you read this Scotland may well have a new first minister. One of their first jobs will be to consider what to do with the seemingly jinxed…
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Greenwashing “rampant” in food and drink sector

McDonald’s and Burger King are among dozens of food companies that have been accused of greenwashing in a new study by the Changing Markets Foundation. The NGO assessed dozens of claims made by food and drink companies against the green claims code – which was published in 2021 by the Competition and Markets Authority to…
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26% of food industry workers suffering from food insecurity

Huge numbers of essential workers in the UK are struggling to access enough food, according to research by the Food Foundation. A quarter of households in which NHS or social care workers live experienced food insecurity in January 2023, as did 26% of households home to food sector workers and 21% of households home to…
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Pub prices could ‘go through the roof’ when energy prices rise

The average energy bill for a pub will rise by £18,400 a year, according to the British Beer and Pub Association. BBPA is warning of a “cliff edge” as the government’s energy relief for businesses ends next month.  The end of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, which came into force in November 2022, will add further pressure…
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The Friday Digest: Budget blows hot and cold on green issues

It’s hard to remember a budget in recent memory that hasn’t united environmentalists in despair at the paucity of action to support the drive to net-zero. Jeremy Hunt’s first budget as chancellor didn’t eschew green policies entirely – there was support for new carbon capture and storage and nuclear projects – but taken as a…
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Foodservice supplier named in beef origin investigation

Foodservice businesses have been put on high alert over the risk of fraudulent meat after it was revealed that a supplier to the sector is involved in an investigation by the national food crime unit (NFCU) into mislabelling of the origin of beef products. Farmers Weekly broke the news last week that upmarket Northern supermarket chain Booths has…
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Carlsberg kick-starts regenerative barley transition

Carlsberg has committed to source 100% regenerative barley for its UK beer brands within the next decade as part of a global shift towards regenerative farming. The beer giant’s UK arm, Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company (CMBC), has said it will use 100% regenerative barley for its Carlsberg Danish Pilsner by 2027 and for all UK…
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