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Supersized El Niño Threatens UK Food Imports Worth £1.7bn
A strengthening El Niño could add further pressure to the UK fruit and vegetable supply chain, as experts warn that up to a quarter of the country’s food imports worth £17 billion are “in the line of fire” this year, as well as domestic production. Some 86% of the UK’s fruit is imported, including a significant proportion from South America and Africa – nations that are expected to experience some of the strongest impacts from the developing El Niño, according to the Energy
Gene-Edited Strawberries And Tomatoes Move Closer To UK Shelves
Precision-bred crops including longer-lasting strawberries and vitamin D-enriched tomatoes are moving towards commercialisation in England, marking another step in the UK’s post-Brexit approach to gene editing. Image: The John Innes Centre The two gene-edited fruit crops are approaching the final regulatory stage required before they can be sold to consumers in England, reports The Telegraph. The developments involve eight strawberry varieties that have been genetically edite
Sainsbury’s Invests In Healthy School Food, Half-Price Lunch Box Essentials
Sainsbury’s is investing more than £1.5 million in initiatives to improve children’s access to nutritious food, while also cutting the price of selected fruits and vegetables for families returning to school and work routines. Through its partnership with Comic Relief, the retailer is providing £1 million to food insecurity charities Magic Breakfast and Rethink Food, with each receiving £500,000, reports Grocery Trader. Magic Breakfast will use the funding to expand its free
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‘World-First’ Boombites Drive Grape Category Innovation For UK Retail
Red berry grape brand Boombites is being introduced to the UK market to attract non-grape buyers, re-engage lapsed consumers, and to provide an additional tier for existing grape buyers, following a successful trial of the antioxidant-rich fruit last summer. Available exclusively at M&S, Ocado, and Tesco for a limited period, the ‘superfruit’ grapes are being positioned within the natural snacking category and differentiated from conventional grapes on account of their strik
UK Consumers Broaden Plant Choices As Fibre And Gut Health Gain Traction
British adults are expanding the range of vegetables that they consume as rising awareness of fibre, gut health, and dietary variety shapes a significant emerging consumer trend, supported by social media. During the last five years, the proportion of consumers achieving the recommended ‘30 plants a week’ has doubled, indicates data from HelloFresh, and reported by Grocery Gazette. The research suggests that plant diversity is becoming increasingly embedded in everyday food c
£13m Agritech Funding To Bring Cutting-Edge Research From Lab To Field
A new £13 million funding competition has opened to accelerate the commercial roll-out of promising agricultural technologies that address practical challenges on UK farms, including labour shortages, pest control, crop production, and sustainability. The latest Farming Innovation Programme competition is offering grants of between £1m and £3m available to a small number of high-potential projects, according to a press release from Defra. Delivered in partnership with Innova
Major Retailers Warn Burnham Against Further Business Rates Rise
Some of Britain's biggest retailers have warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham that increasing business rates for larger stores could put pressure on prices, investment and jobs. The warning was delivered in a letter from the Retail Jobs Alliance, whose members include Asda, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco. The alliance represents food and general merchandise businesses that collectively employ nearly one million people across the UK. Usdaw, the shopworkers' un
British Strawberry Growers Urge Retailers To Back Late-Season Surge
Retailers are being urged to maintain larger pack sizes, support promotions and continue prioritising British strawberries as growers prepare for a substantial rise in late-season volumes. Industry-wide forecasts compiled by British Berry Growers indicate that UK strawberry availability will be significantly higher than during the same period last year, with particularly strong supplies expected over the next fortnight. The forecasts are updated regularly and could change, bu
Fewer Than Half Of British Consumers Trust Food Labels, Survey Finds
Fewer than half of British consumers trust the information displayed on food labels, according to new research highlighting widespread confusion among shoppers. A survey of 2,000 British adults conducted by Soil Association Certification found that only 44 percent trusted food labels. More than half of respondents, 53 percent, described the information presented on labels as overwhelming, suggesting that the growing number of claims, symbols and certification marks is making
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