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Berry And Topfruit Growers Sound Alarm Over Input-Cost Shock
Escalating costs due to the Middle East conflict are starting to ripple through the UK’s fresh produce supply chain, with British berry and topfruit growers warning of increasing financial pressure in the run up to the key summer season. The British Berry Growers Association (BBGA) said instability around the Strait of Hormuz – a key global trade corridor – is pushing up input costs such as fuel and fertiliser. The warning is echoed by British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) w
BerryWorld Identifies Health And Wellness Marketing Opportunities
BerryWorld has unveiled a campaign to position berries as a natural, nutrient-dense, and convenient health solution, backed by a new report into the consumer habits and health concerns shaping shopper behaviour in 2026. Image: BerryWorld Titled ‘Big 6 for 2026’, the research identifies health marketing opportunities for berry businesses by exploring this year’s most important consumer health priorities. The insight then aligns these trends – immunity, hydration, gut health,
New Vining Pea Trials To Deliver Modern, Resilient Production Guidance
Fen Peas has come together with the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) and Dyson Farming Research to launch a farmer-led research project to test and update plant population recommendations for vining peas destined for the frozen food market. Image: PGRO Supported by Defra’s ADOPT fund, the initiative will work directly with growers to reevaluate optimum plant populations for vining peas under real-world farm conditions. The aim is to bring outdated crop man
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Sarah-Jayne Gratton
Sarah-Jayne Gratton
Sarah-Jayne Gratton
Consumers Eat Less Fresh Produce As Food Prices Bite
UK households are reducing their fruit and vegetable purchases as food prices rise and food insecurity creeps up once again due to the Iran war, further exposing the country's food system vulnerability to global conflicts. Over the last 30 days, more than half (53%) of food insecure households in the UK reduced their fruit purchases, while 40% cut back on vegetables, according a new food insecurity survey from The Food Foundation. Even for those not food insecure, in the la
Defra Unveils Multifunctional Land Use Vision But Questions Remain
The government has published its first Land Use Framework setting out how England’s limited land should be used more efficiently to balance food production, housing, nature and climate goals, using a national spatial map and new modelling tools. Over the coming decades Defra’s new plan is designed to safeguard food production while bolstering resilience to climate change and global shocks but industry bodies say questions remain for the future of food and farming. The long-aw
Syngenta To Develop £100m AI-Powered Crop Research Centre In UK
Syngenta has announced a major new investment in agricultural bioscience, unveiling plans for a £100 million research centre at its Berkshire base in the UK that will focus on next-generation, sustainable solutions for farming. Image: Syngenta The Biological Sciences Technology and Research centre (BioSTaR) will be built at Syngenta’s existing Jealott’s Hill R&D site, already the UK’s largest facility dedicated to agricultural technology research. Syngenta said in a press re
Britain Closer To Food Riots Than Many Realise, Warning Over Fragile Food System
Warnings that the UK could face food-related unrest may sound dramatic, but a growing number of experts believe the country’s food system is far more fragile than many consumers realise. In a stark assessment of Britain’s food security, analysts argue that a combination of economic pressure, global instability and structural weaknesses in the supply chain could create the conditions for serious disruption — and potentially civil unrest. The warning comes as the UK continues t
Farm Inheritance Tax ‘Illegal’, High Court Hears
A legal challenge to the UK Government’s proposed inheritance tax changes affecting farms has begun in the High Court, with claimants arguing that ministers acted unlawfully in the way the reforms were introduced. The case centres on planned changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), which currently help protect family farms and businesses from large inheritance tax bills when assets are passed down between generations. The judicial revi
Tesco Trials Next-Generation QR Codes In Move Away From Traditional Barcodes
Tesco has become the first UK supermarket to trial replacing traditional product barcodes with next-generation QR codes, signalling a potential shift in how groceries are labelled, tracked and scanned in stores. The retailer is currently testing the new system on a limited number of own-brand lines, including fresh produce and meat, in selected stores in the south of England. The pilot forms part of a collaboration with standards body GS1 UK and a group of supplier partners.
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