Top stories on just-food this week

The results of our reader survey on Kraft Foods’ acquisition of Cadbury proved popular reading this week, with the majority of you predicting that the principal consequence of the deal would be plant closures and job losses. And, indeed, just a week after Kraft won shareholder approval the US food group confirmed that it would continue with Cadbury’s plan to close the Somerdale site and transfer production to Poland.

In other news, a fresh wave of results broke. PepsiCo revealed that it is targeting growth in global snacks, Dean Foods revealed fourth-quarter profitability had curdled under pressure from retailers to cut prices and Danone warned on a “challenging” year ahead.

These were the most read stories on just-food this week:

On the money: PepsiCo eyes global snack growth
US food and drink giant PepsiCo plans to build on its "global leadership" in "macro" snacks in 2010 through acquisitions and the development of healthier products.

UK: Unilever "threatens to quit UK over tax burden"
Unilever chief Paul Polman has reportedly said the company could withdraw its R&D and manufacturing facilities from the UK, were the country to increase business taxes or regulation.

FRANCE: Danone sees “challenging” 2010
Danone booked an increase in full-year profits today (11 February) but the French food giant said it will continue to face a “challenging” financial and economic environment in 2010.

UPDATE 2: FINLAND: Raisio eyes growth in healthy snacks
Raisio, the Finnish food group, said today (10 February) that the company had made an offer for UK firm Glisten due to the recent growth in "premium", healthy snacks

UK/US: Cadbury sale "to lead to job cuts, plant closures" - survey
The biggest effect of Kraft Foods' takeover of Cadbury will be job losses and plant closures, a just-food reader survey has claimed.

UPDATE: UK: Kraft confirms Cadbury plant closure
Kraft Foods today (9 February) confirmed that it will push ahead with Cadbury's plans to close the Somerdale manufacturing facility in Keynsham, near Bristol.

UK: Sat fat, added sugar consumption falling, says FSA
Consumers in the UK are eating less saturated fat and added sugar than ten years ago - although levels are still above recommended levels, the country's food watchdog has claimed.

On the money: Retailer pressure hits Dean Foods
A push among US retailers to deliver more value for consumers hit margins at dairy giant Dean Foods, the company has claimed.

Mrs Obama moves to tackle childhood obesity
The launch in the US today of a major initiative on childhood obesity, to be led by First Lady Michelle Obama, underlines the administration’s commitment to tackling the problem. Ben Cooper looks at the implications for food companies and for self-regulation.

UK: Advertisers hit out by product placement "u-turn"
A proposed u-turn on the relaxing of rules for the placement of food and drink products in TV programmes in the UK is “disappointing”, advertisers have said.