Food and Drink Federation - food industry company news 
UK: "Hybrid" front-of-pack labels to be unveiled tomorrow
18 June 2013
The UK government is set to launch the planned "hybrid" front-of-pack label - including traffic light symbols - tomorrow (18 June).
UK: Tesco positive on outlook for central, eastern Europe
7 June 2013
Tesco has struck an upbeat note about central and eastern Europe, where its sales are under pressure and where economic conditions remain challenging.
The week ahead - Ahold, Tesco & Smucker results; free-from & export events
3 June 2013
Retail majors Ahold and Tesco are preparing to announce first-quarter results, while bakery group Aryzta and US spreads firm JM Smucker look set to detail continued progress in growing profits over the past year. Meanwhile, we can expect free-from to take centre stage in two European trade shows and UK exporters will be discussing opportunities in CEE countries.
UK: Industry targets food waste, carbon with new pledge
9 May 2013
Manufacturers including Nestle and Mars, as well as retailers like Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer, have pledged to further cut food waste and carbon emissions in the UK.
UK: Food exports flat in 2012
18 March 2013
UK food and soft drink exports were flat in 2012 after shipments fell in the final quarter of the year.
UPDATE: UK: Food industry brands medics obesity report as "damp squib"
18 February 2013
The Food and Drink Federation has branded a report by UK medics calling for a ban on junk food ads before the watershed as a "damp squib".
Best bits: Threat of legislation on obesity looms large
28 January 2013
Obesity is a global epidemic that is "bankrupting economies and short changing futures", we were told during a round table at the World Economic Forum in Davos this weekend.
UK: Nutrition labelling scheme still unclear - FDF, PepsiCo exec
25 January 2013
It is still not clear what the new hybrid nutrition labelling scheme is supposed to look like, according to the chair of the Food & Drink Federation's health and wellbeing group.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
25 January 2013
just-food managed to secure a number of key interviews with leading industry figures this week, including that of the new Groceries Code Adjudicator, Christine Tacon, who outlined her new role and the challenges she might face. Other interviews included Warburton's free-from director Chris Hook Plum Organics CEO Neil Grimmer who told just-food about the firm's recent acquisition of Plum UK. Elsewhere, Unilever CEO Paul Polman told of his disappointment at the performance of its food division last year and the horsemeat scandal rumbled on.
INTERVIEW: Responsibility Deal food chair Dr Susan Jebb
23 January 2013
UK ministers and food industry leaders are keen to expand the reach of the Responsibility Deal in 2013 to show its many doubters that voluntary pledges can help to deliver healthier diets for consumers. Step forward Dr Susan Jebb, who, as chair of food portion of the deal, has the dubious honour of trying to keep everybody happy, at least some of the time.
UK: Do more on Responsibility Deal or face legislation - Minister
23 January 2013
Public health minister Anna Soubry has told UK food industry leaders they must engage more companies in the Responsibility Deal on health or risk the government imposing regulation.
UK: Food industry defends record on health
22 January 2013
The Food & Drink Federation has released a report praising achievements by the industry to cut salt, fat and sugar from products, as its Responsibility Deal with government comes under renewed pressure.
UPDATE: UK: Groceries Code Adjudicator Tacon must be "objective" - BRC
21 January 2013
The British Retail Consortium has given a cautious welcome to the UK's first Groceries Code Adjudicator, Christine Tacon, while food producers and farmers appeared happier with the appointment.
UK: Salt reduction review due soon
21 January 2013
A review of the food industry's progress in cutting salt from products, and recommendations on the best way forward, are due to be published by the Government shortly.
In the spotlight: Report ignites food waste debate
18 January 2013
A report published last week by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers suggesting that up to 50% of food produced globally is not consumed has attracted significant media attention. Ben Cooper reports.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
14 January 2013
The UK's largest listed retailers reported their quarterly results this week, keeping the just-food news desk busy. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons all be revealed how they performed over the keenly-watched Christmas trading period. Elsewhere, just-food spoke with HKScan CEO Hannu Kottonen following an announcement by the company that it plans to cut up to 295 jobs as part of efforts to streamline its domestic subsidiaries. Struggling US retailer Supervalu also had news this week, with its deal to offload five of its chains to Cerberus Capital Management.
COMMENT: Don't scoff too loudly at legal limits on fat in food
9 January 2013
Calls for limits on salt, sugar and fat in foods marketed to children in the UK do not seem so far-fetched when one considers the scale of the challenge posed by poor diet.
The just-food review of 2012: industry makes progress on CSR
18 December 2012
From a sustainability standpoint, 2012 might be characterised as a year when the world went backwards - or at a pinch stayed still - but the food industry moved forward, writes Ben Cooper.
The most-read comment from just-food in 2012
18 December 2012
just-food does not shy away from commenting on the major developments and issues in the industry and this year its focus centred on issues from traffic-light labels to sustainability, on deals like Kellogg's takeover of Pringles and Arla Foods' latest venture in China.
GLOBAL: Nestle puts faith in co-operation with suppliers on CSR
4 December 2012
Working with suppliers, rather than withdrawing contracts, is more effective in making food supply chains more sustainable, Nestle has claimed.
EU: Food majors sign GDA labels pledge
14 November 2012
Food manufacturers including Nestle, Mondelez International and Unilever have announced plans to "harmonise" the way they label the nutritional information for products sold in the EU.
UK: Food industry raises questions on EU labelling regulations
12 November 2012
UK food and drink manufacturers have said there are "lots of questions" over how EU laws on food labelling will be implemented.
Quote unquote: UK debate on food labelling, nutrition
8 November 2012
Food and drink industry stakeholders gathered in London yesterday (7 November) for The Westminster Food & Nutrition conference. The topic of discussion surrounded food labelling policy in the UK and the challenges for food manufacturers. Speakers included the Food and Drink Federation, Morrisons, The British Medical Association and Defra.
Nutrient taxes: European moves on nutrient taxes fuel debate
31 October 2012
While fat taxes are being considered as policy options in countries as diverse as Canada, Peru, Australia and New Zealand, Israel and South Africa, it is significant that all three recent implementations of nutrient taxes took place within EU countries, namely Denmark, France and Hungary.
UK: Food industry makes palm oil pledge
30 October 2012
UK food manufacturers have pledged to work towards using only "sustainable" palm oil in their products by 2015.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
29 October 2012
A busy but fruitful week for just-food was dominated by the SIAL trade expo in Paris, where thousands of international manufacturers gathered to showcase products and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing them. Elsewhere, the UK unveiled plans to introduce a hybrid nutrition labelling system, Premier Foods plc pledged to "unlock value" from its bread division and French retailers Carrefour and Casino found their international operations in the spotlight.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
29 October 2012
This week, just-food attended the SIAL food and drink exhibition in Paris where the team caught up food manufacturers including Genius Foods, Dare Foods, The Irish Dairy Board, as well as the Irish Prime Minister. Outside of Paris, the UK government revealed plans to adopt a hybrid approach to front-of-pack (FOP) nutritional labelling.
Consuming issues - UK food makers unbowed on FOP labelling
24 October 2012
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents UK food manufacturers, shows little sign of relinquishing its dogged support of a system based solely on percentage of guideline daily amounts (GDAs), writes Ben Cooper.
UK: Government opts for hybrid front-of-pack labelling
24 October 2012
The UK government has announced it is recommending a standardised, hybrid approach to front-of-pack (FOP) nutritional labelling.
EU: WHO questions industry's commitment to improving health
19 October 2012
The food industry is not making it easy for consumers to buy healthier products and is not doing enough to reduce salt and sugar, the World Health Organisation has claimed.
