Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words

The UN climate change conference started this week in Copenhagen and, ahead of the summit, the European food industry body, the CIAA, sought to demonstrate how the sector is helping in the battle against global warming. Elsewhere, on the sustainability agenda, Unilever suspended its future purchasing of palm oil from Indonesian company PT Smart, following Greenpeace claims of deforestation, while the UK's Sustainable Development Commission suggested a cut in fish, meat and dairy consumption was in order to make diets more sustainable.

"If a comprehensive, legally-binding, global agreement cannot be reached in Copenhagen, it is essential that EU policy makers implement adequate support measures for EU industries in order to ensure the required cuts in GHG emissions in the EU while ensuring a level-playing field globally" - Confederation of the Food and Drinks Industries of the EU (CIAA)

"The Greenpeace claims are of a nature that we can't ignore. Unilever is committed to sustainable sourcing. Therefore, we have notified PT SMART that we have no choice but to suspend our future purchasing of palm oil" Marc Engel, chief procurement officer for Unilever

"I do not have a crystal ball for 2010 but indications point to lower supplies. I don't believe improvement will be until late 2010 or 2011 as unemployment moderates. But I remain optimistic for the long-term" - Joe Sanderson Jr. of Sanderson Farms

"These numbers are extraordinarily good numbers. I know I sound like a broken record, saying again and again and again and again that this is the focus of the company that I have so much trouble getting so many people on Wall Street to pay attention to" - Smithfield Foods president and CEO Larry Pope

"This puts General Mills ahead of Kellogg and Post. As sugary cereal is one of the top products marketed to children, we hope the company swiftly implements these changes and that Kellogg, Post Foods and other competitors quickly follow General Mills' lead" - Margon Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest

"Deflation was more pronounced than what we had expected it to be. I actually thought it was going to begin turning but I guess I was looking through rose-coloured glasses," - chairman and CEO of Kroger David Dillon

"Jobs are a concern on both sides of the Irish Channel. And its not just the jobs; it is the investment decisions that would be made" - a spokesperson for Unite voiced concerns about a possible successful Kraft Foods bid for Cadbury

"To date, the agency has failed to accept sustainability as a dietary issue: this is evident in its five-year plan, published a few days ago, which mentions sustainability just once. This attitude has to change - and quickly," Mark Driscoll, who heads up the WWF's One Planet Food programme

"Consumers the world over are increasingly concerned that their chocolate purchases are supporting slavery and misery, and are increasingly purchasing Fairtrade chocolate as a result. They will be looking to Nestlé to do far more to support farmers worldwide" - Todd Larsen, corporate responsibility programs director at Green America

"Their aggressive promotional programme, particularly on premium ranges, might have been expected to depress share through self-imposed price deflation" - TNS director Ed Garner talks about Tesco's static market share