Breaking News on Food Marketing and Retailing

BASF helps retailer with sustainable fruit and veg standards

BASF Crop Protection is developing a new set of criteria and standards for sustainable fruit and veg production for supermarket chain Rewe, which are intended to give sustainability assurances throughout the food chain, right through to consumers.

Chilling and water dominate Coca-Cola green aims

Water efficiency use, bottle-to-bottle recycling of PET and a commitment to expanding Carbon Dioxide (CO2) refrigerators are some of the key claims coming from Coca-Cola’s latest sustainability report.

British Sugar certifies carbon footprint with new method

The UK’s British Sugar has become the first sugar company to use a new method to certify the carbon footprint of its granulated sugar.

Cocoa supply chain and sustainability headline African symposium

With sustainability a buzz word for today's confectionery makers, a symposium that kicked off in Ghana today will attempt to get to grips with current issues impacting sustainability in Africa's cocoa supply chain.

Kellogg’s ups ante on cholesterol campaign

Kellogg ’s in the UK has joined with one of the country’s leading heart health charities to launch a series of initiatives aimed at lowering cholesterol and reducing the incidence of cardio vascular disease (CVD).

Price-fixing in the food industry

Competition authorities are sniffing about the food industry for evidence of price-fixing activities. A partner at law firm Eversheds explains how cartels come about, and why food may be a fertile breeding ground.

Suck it and see: has the probiotic straw arrived?

The probiotic straw is a concept that has been a long time coming but one which may be about to move from its current niche status into the mainstream, according to Swedish probiotics supplier, BioGaia.

'No additive' claims drive Halloween product launches

Driven by consumer demand for clean labels the shift from artificial to natural additives is undoubtedly gaining pace in the realm of European confectionery, a fact mirrored by this year's selection of Halloween products that show a massive leap to 'no additive' claims.

Milk price alternative sought in EU tractor protest

A barrage of tractors have descended upon the latest meeting of EU agriculture ministers to drive home dairy farmers’ calls for what they claim are the basic conditions required to ensure a ‘fair’ price for their products.

Weekly comment

The hour of stevia is nigh

The course of true love never did run smooth. The same could be said of stevia’s road to regulatory approval as a food ingredient. One final concerted effort is needed to ensure approval of this hot ingredient.

Pack design: A secret weapon in uncertain times – report

As beverage makers struggle in the current financial downturn, innovative packaging designs could play a major role in boosting brand identity and performance, says a new report.

Kids want to eat healthily, says survey

Children and teenagers in the UK are becoming increasingly conscious of the importance of healthy eating, according to data from TGI Youth.

News in brief

EC ratifies reintroduction of grain import duties

The European Commission has published its decision to reintroduce customs duties on grain imports in its Official Journal, meaning that the duties will come into force in three days’ time.

Stevia potential bigger than we thought, PureCircle

PureCircle is reviewing its operational strategy and development plans, as high purity Reb-A, derived from stevia, is attracting attention as a potential complement to sugar as well as a replacement for existing high intensity sweeteners (HIS).

Melton Mowbray pork pies win EU protection

After a ten-year struggle, Melton Mowbray pork pies have secured Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status to become the first cooked recipe-based product in the UK to receive the protection.

Bionade may extend Olympic efforts for sport-drink push

A German manufacturer of organic soft drinks says it may consider further cooperation with individual Olympic organizations in order to boost the international reputation of its branded range of sports beverages.

Health claim embarrassment for Nestle, GSK, over wrong ads

The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency has upheld complaints against two ‘misleading and inaccurate’ adverts for Nestle’s Maggi Noodles and GlaxoSmithKline’s Horlicks which made unsubstantiated health claims.

Dispatches from SIAL

Innovation in food products essential to weather economic storm

Food makers confronted by today's challenging economic times must continue to invest hard in innovation to beat the downturn. This year's SIAL, which opened yesterday in Paris, is a showcase of new ideas that could help to boost margins and weather the economic storm.

Weekly comment

Banks’ rescue package points the way for food crisis remedies

Question: When is a crisis not a crisis? Answer: When it’s a food crisis. Compare the two responses to failures in the food system and financial markets.

Dispatches from SIAL

New product design for confectionery targets the pleasure axis

Innovations in pleasure and sophistication gained pace from 2006 to 2007, mirrored by the innovative new confectionery product designs highlighted at this year's SIAL food exhibition that opened its doors yesterday in Paris.

Arla, Fonterra sticking to scandal hit Chinese dairies

Two of the world’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of dairy goods have moved to play up their commitments in China as the legacy of the ongoing melamine scandal continues to impact on their operations.

Mars US adopts European-style nutrition labels

Mars is to launch a new front-of-pack labeling system on all of its chocolate, other confectionery and foods amid fresh calls in the US for a labeling overhaul.

News in brief

Suiker Unie to sell sugar factory site

Suiker Unie is at an advanced stage of negotiating the sale of the site of its sugar factory in Puttershoek to investor and developer DHVG. Suiker Unie is no longer using the factory.

Soft drinks rivals: The brands they are a changin’

With Coca-Cola and PepsiCo posting differing fortunes in their latest financial results, the world’s leading soft drink makers are increasingly treading different paths to tackle changing attitudes to carbonated beverages, according to an industry analyst.

News in brief

Banana cartel fined €60.3m

The European Commission has slapped fines totaling €60.3m on banana importers Dole and Weichert, the latter including the Del Monte brand, for price fixing between 2000 and 2002.

World Food Day

Spotlight on climate change’s effect on food security, safety

The message blasting out from World Food Day events is ‘adapt now, or the consequences will be grave’. While the world’s poorest will bear the brunt, food safety could be affected everywhere.

UK ad restrictions neglect cheese nutrients, says dairy group

The apparent vilifying of cheese products under UK-based advertising restrictions may have major repercussion on a global scale for dairy groups, claims the head of Dairy UK.

European shoppers do not steer clear of GM labels, says study

European consumers do buy GM foods when they are available in supermarkets, an EU survey has concluded – despite shoppers’ protestations that they would avoid products bearing a GM label.

Europe looking beyond recycling in drink sustainability push

As groups like Coca-Cola push ahead with new consumer-targeted recycling schemes in the US, their European counterparts claim to favour a different approach to help ensure environmental sustainability.

Carbon footprint falls highlight greener-milk success - industry

A new US study charting a 64-year fall in the carbon footprint of producing milk in the country, reflects wider global success in adopting sustainable milk production, according to one national dairy association.

Milk farmer concerns persist over processor payouts

As a leading UK Dairy Processor prepares to increase payouts for their milk supplies from next month, the issue of sustainable pricing for supplies looks far from resolved.

Children less exposed to junk food advertising on TV, says DoH

The UK Department of Health (DoH) says that measures taken to combat the promotion of junk food to children seem to be taking effect – at least in terms of television advertising.

Confectioners may benefit as speculators exit commodity markets

Turmoil in the global financial markets could, ironically, offer relief to prices in the commodity exchanges, where leading confectioners lock in key raw materials for their formulations, with evidence this week suggesting a wave of non-commercial speculators are selling their positions.

News in brief

Supermarkets, manufacturers told to pay on time

UK environment secretary Hilary Benn has warned that just one late payment can make the difference between survival and going out of business for a small supplier, according to The Guardian.

Weekly comment

Waking up to smell the caffeine

Before reading this you’re probably going to need a coffee, in fact why not have a few? After all who’s to say when enough is enough in our hunt for a caffeine kick.

News in brief

Mars closes Wrigley deal

Confectionery giant Mars has announced its successful acquisition of chewing gum company Wrigley after Wrigley stockholders announced the sale on 23rd September.

Wide scepticism of industry interest in cloned food, Commission survey

A new Eurobarometer survey that has revealed consumers’ views on animal cloning for food production to be overwhelmingly negative will be used by the Commission in its analysis of whether action is required on the subject, and if so, what kind.

Product and market diversity aiding drink maker resilience

The European beverage industry will find strength in variety in its attempts to offset the impacts of the current economic downturn, according to a new report.

UK detects banned additive from China in mini jelly cup

Mid-melamine scare, food safety issues are compounded for European confectioners as Europe's alert system flags up a confectionery product for children containing an additive from China that could constitute a choking risk.

Camembert purists drive Lactalis production shake-up

France–based Lactalis is shutting down production at one of its sites amidst an ongoing battle of wills in the country over the ‘traditional’ manufacture of camembert cheese.

UK food and drink sector backs MEPs targets on emissions

The energy package voted through by the European Parliament’s Environment Committee yesterday has been welcomed by the UK food and drink sector.

Russian optimism remains despite big brewers’ beer lull

Despite declining sales growth for leading brewers like Carlsberg and InBev in Russia, analysts and industry alike suggest that the country’s beer market is far from stagnating.

Weekly comment

Bringing organic back down to earth

Organic has an image problem. As some consumers fear they are, quite literally, priced out of the farmers market, it’s time to stir up more debate about organic as a set of principals, not as a status symbol.

Melamine in confectionery detected on UK shelves

Confectioners and food firms in the UK are on the alert after the country's food watchdog announces the recall of certain batches of White Rabbit products from China containing up to 60 times the melamine limit.

Costs to ease for confectioners in 2009

After two years of spiralling upward costs, an easing in soft commodity prices across the board could reduce manufacturing input costs for confectioners.

Cereals for kids still high in sugar, consumer report

Driven by consumer demand, formulators are cutting the sugar and salt content from a host of products for kids, but a recent cross-nation report that honed in on breakfast cereals for children suggests more work is required, particularly in the US.

Drink age limit divide grows amidst Scottish debate

Drinking age limits continue to dominate headlines in the UK as the Scottish Executive yesterday debated the potential merits of limiting sales to people over 21 at some retail outlets, amidst wider interest in the scheme.

Sweeteners and seaweed science stand out during September

Studies reporting stevia’s photo-stability in beverages, Splenda’s effect on gut bacteria, and seaweed’s potential as a salt replacer, dominated September’s headlines.

Round two in Which? versus the 'cartoon villains'

A new report from Which? has struck out again against the use of cartoon characters to market foods for children, accusing the industry of exploiting a loophole that allows for company-owned characters to be used on unhealthy products.

Guest article

The impact of the Chinese milk crisis on European business

As the contamination of Chinese milk sends ripples through the global food industry, Eversheds lawyers Richard Matthews and Elizabeth Hyde lay out the due diligence procedures that food companies must go through when sourcing from outside the EU.

New system aims to boost ‘Made in China’ brand

A new online traceability system for Chinese ingredients and products will provide quick and accurate information for food companies, consumers and regulators, claims it developers.

Campina brand claims GM free breakthrough

Campina says it has committed to a new feed scheme for one of its leading German dairy brands as part of a wider commitment to removing genetically modified (GM) organisms from across its portfolio of products.