The first four months of the UK’s sugar tax has failed to create any significant change in consumer behaviour; but it has encouraged widespread reformulation and the proliferation of lower sugar options, according to Nielsen.
The UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF) says that the possibility of a no-deal Brexit is overshadowing the UK food sector as it grapples with rising input costs.
UK soft drink business Britvic says it is confident of achieving market expectations for the full year, despite facing challenges from sugar taxes and the CO2 shortage.
In the UK, 326 businesses have registered for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, according to data from HMRC and obtained by chartered accountants UHY Hacker Young.
The UK public is more receptive to interventions such as sugar taxes and minimum unit pricing than often supposed, according to a report compiled by a group of independent UK health associations.
Salad from Italy was the most likely source of an E. coli O157 outbreak that sickened more than 150 people in the UK in 2016, according to researchers.
Juice and milk-based drinks are currently exempt from the UK’s sugar tax: but Public Health England has set out targets for sugar reduction in these categories – and says that progress will be taken into account when it reviews the milk-based drinks exemption...
Rising obesity levels are one of the most significant public health issues facing the world today. As concern mounts, could we see further policy action from UK regulators?
Inaction is not an option for confectionery brands if they want to survive in an age of increased regulation on sugared products, writes Neil Davidson, managing director of brand agency HeyHuman.
UK food and environment minister Michael Gove says that the government is placing food strategy at “the heart” of policy, a move the Brexiteer links to the strengthened autonomy Parliament will have following the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Sheep farmers in Wales face “an extremely difficult future” after Brexit, if the UK government fails to negotiate a trade deal that secures tariff-free access to key European Union (EU) export markets, a leading trade body has warned.
New research finds that consumers are increasingly confused by the numerous – and sometimes contradictory – messages about food and health. A loss of trust in traditional sources of information adds to the chaos and stands as a barrier to the development...
Policy experts have sounded a warning if the UK agrees a post-Brexit trade deal with the US, claiming chemical disinfectants used on American poultry pose a risk to consumers and workers.
As Brexit negotiations between London and Brussels rumble on, the future trading relationship continues to concern the business world. How is the prospect of Brexit shaping up for the food sector?
The UK food sector has welcomed news that Brexit negotiations will move to stage two – the future trading relationship – after the European Commission confirmed “sufficient progress” has been made on discussions over the divorce settlement.
Half of British consumers would rather give up chocolate than cheese when asked if they had to “choose between never being able to eat cheese again or never being able to eat chocolate again,” according to new research by Mintel.
Bakkavor, the leading UK fresh prepared food manufacturer, wants to “accelerate” its growth in “high potential” international markets like China and the US while continuing to benefit from category growth in the UK.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC), an industry body representing UK retailers, has warned that British shoppers could pay as much as one-third more for “everyday food items” in the event of a “no deal Brexit”.
The UK government has said it wants to reach a deal that will see “no hard border in the movement of goods” between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland following the country’s exit from the European Union.
As Romania becomes the latest European country to introduce a sugar tax, latest research now points to how sugar takes its toll on mental health with an increased risk of depression in men.
Traditional tomatoes are being shunned by manufacturers looking to make the classic condiment appeal to more sophisticated palates with mangoes, beetroot or pumpkin.
Britain’s food and drink exports remain robust thanks to the weaker pound with UK food and drink exports for Q1 2017 valued at £4.9 billion (€5.6 billion), according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
Coca-Cola, Mars, Mondelez, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever will add nutrition logos modelled on the UK’s traffic light label to their European portfolios. However, critics have slammed the use of portion size as a reference.
Fairtrade food could be in short supply if the UK government continues to ignore the need for preferential trade deals with developing countries, two new reports have warned.
A trade deal with the US will give “the majority of the UK public food they don’t want” as well as open “a very new can of worms” in terms of food fraud, according to Chris Elliott, professor of food safety and founder of the Institute for Global Food...
Every EU country is battling with obesity, but is 2017 set to be the year that many more governments move from the comfort zone of industry-led “nudge” tactics to blunt policy tools that push manufacturers to reformulate?
Salt reduction strategies in the United Kingdom (UK) are more effective amongst the wealthier, health-conscious members of the country’s population, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Scotland needs a “bold approach” to tackle obesity, according to an influential group of politicians. But food industry representatives said tough regulation could present “barriers to business” for the country’s manufacturers.
The food industry should not be pilloried for making food safe, affordable and enjoyable, according to the chairman of food consultancy Zenith International.
One size does not fit all when marketing meat alternatives, say researchers. Manufacturers need to decide whether they should target price conscious consumers, healthy eaters, taste driven individuals, eco-friendly greens, organic shoppers or vegetarians.
Demand from Asia sustained Danish Crown’s sales in the face of greater challenges in its UK market in the past year, according to chief executive Jais Valeur.
Missing breakfast and a lack of sleep both appear to accurately predict whether a child will become overweight or obese in later life, a University College London (UCL) study has concluded.
Study finds UK packaged food sales have declined steadily throughout past decade
Packaged food sales in the UK have reached their lowest growth rate in a decade due to an increase in discounter stores, innovation fatigue, and an increase in eating out due to economic improvements, according to Euromonitor.
The artisan food boom continues to fuel profitability of SME (small and medium size enterprise) food and drink manufacturers, evidenced by the success of craft brewers and gin distillers, says commercial law firm EMW.
The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has warned of an ‘unsustainable trading environment’ post-Brexit in which escalating supply chain expenses would ultimately mean higher food costs.
Rising ingredient prices and a fall in product margins since the UK’s Brexit vote have seen confidence levels plummet, according to a new poll of food and drink manufacturers.
Australia is the largest market for breakfast drinks, with a current retail value of around A$200m (USD $153m). But when it comes to innovation, the UK can give the Aussies a run for their money, says Zenith International, while the US market also shows...
The UK government has confirmed that it will introduce “clearer visual labelling” in relation to free sugars on packaged food and drinks - but it will be voluntary.
Who said Brexit would break the UK economy and the sugar tax on soft drinks is bad for business? 95% of food and drink firms are forecasting growth, according to the Lloyds Bank third annual market survey. Here’s a rundown of five major findings.
Young children are almost three times as likely to consume fizzy drinks if their parents frequently do, according to research carried out by the UK-based Natural Hydration Council.
Milk-based drinks are to be excluded from the UK sugar tax, given their nutritional value. And yet some milk-based drinks contain considerable amounts of added sugar. So how can the levy distinguish between the two?
The UK government’s promise to underwrite EU research funding post Brexit is welcome, but ultimately too short term, director of Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition Research Centre has said.
!['If [the UK government] cuts funding, you might find smaller areas like nutrition will be squeezed for bigger areas of science,' says senior nutrition researcher. ©iStock/MarianVejcik](/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/_aliases/news_teaser_medium/6/2/6/2/892626-5-eng-GB/UK-criticised-over-EU-research-funding-shortfall-pledge.jpg)
