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Food and Drink Federation

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It's the economy, stupid. So goes the mantra for what drives voting choice and therefore electoral campaigning. But, to some, food policy should have been far higher up in the agenda in recent elections in a number of countries. That argument is being heard loud and clear in the UK as the country nears polling day on 8 June, not least with Brexit the key reason why Prime Minister Theresa May called the election. Ben Cooper analyses the food policy positions of the main competing parties and hears from industry and campaigners on why the issue should have far more prominence as the election nears.

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Initiatives aimed at involving employees in sustainability aims are now commonplace in progressive food companies, and for good reason. Ben Cooper examines employee engagement in the food industry and explains how food manufacturers are reaping the multiple benefits of enthusing employees around food sustainability objectives.

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The UK government’s action plan on childhood obesity in England, launched today (18 August), has been criticised by industry bodies, health campaigners and medical professionals alike. However, campaigners have more to gripe about than industry, writes Ben Cooper.

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Improving the diet of employees can boost productivity, morale and staff retention, making workplace nutrition an increasing priority for any company. But, Ben Cooper writes, the nutritional value of workplace catering at a food company is likely to be more closely scrutinised than at other companies, while the food sector has a unique contribution to make in improving workplace nutrition at large.

When the UK government published its long-awaited plan to tackle childhood obesity in August, the Food and Drink Federation, which represents UK food manufacturers, seemed less than impressed, criticising the decision to go ahead with the soft drinks levy as "a disappointing diversion" from effective measures and the plan’s sugar reduction targets as "flawed". However, in an interview with just-food, FDF director general Ian Wright struck a more positive note, describing the government's response to the obesity crisis as "relatively well modulated".

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In the second part of an extensive interview on the implications of Brexit for UK food companies, Ian Wright, director general of industry association the Food and Drink Federation, speaks with Ben Cooper about the longer-term implications of Brexit for UK food and farming policy and on the food industry's labour force. 

Public Health England (PHE) is challenging the UK food industry to reduce calories in products consumed by families by 20% by 2024.

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Food manufacturers and supermarkets are likely to be in the front line as the UK government draws the battle lines for a war against plastic waste.

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Food industry representatives at a UK parliamentary committee meeting today (13 December) stressed that firm and specific details of a Brexit transition agreement would be keenly welcomed to give businesses sufficient time to prepare for an eventual exit.

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More than a third of food businesses operating in the UK have said they would become "unviable" without access to workers from the European Union.

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Calories in foods like burgers, pizza and ready meals are to be targeted in the UK government's next push to tackle childhood obesity in England.

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The UK today (15 August) set out its ideas for the post-Brexit customs arrangements between the country and the EU, with London asserting the proposals would "avoid a cliff-edge" for businesses in both markets.

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Food manufacturers operating in the UK have outlined what they see as the industry's priorities for the country's Brexit negotiations.

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UK Conservative politician Michael Gove made a shock return to the Cabinet this weekend when he was named the country's Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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Public Health England (PHE) today (30 March) set out guidelines for food manufacturers operating in the country to reduce sugar by 20% in the top nine categories of products providing sugar to children's diets by 2020.

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Food companies on both sides of the English Channel are set to feel the brunt of "more costly" trade once the UK leaves the EU, even if a "customs union" is negotiated, according to a new report.

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UK food industry organisations in the UK today (27 March) urged the Government to negotiate "a smooth and orderly Brexit", including "tariff-free trade" in the medium term.

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The UK's Food and Drink Federation said today (22 March) it would "not be technically possible or acceptable to consumers" to meet a voluntary target - issued last year by the country's government - to cut the sugar in products in nine categories by 20% by 2020.

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The heads of 35 UK food and drink suppliers' organisations are calling on the country's government to reach an early agreement on future trade with Ireland in the run up to Brexit, to avoid "a cliff-edge scenario that results in a sudden transformation" to existing arrangements.

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The value of UK food and drink exports grew by 10.5% in 2016 to a record of more than GBP20bn (US$24.8) as manufacturers "responded to rapid growth in demand for quality produce", according to new figures from UK industry association the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

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The UK's Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has announced new rules that extend the ban on advertising high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) food and soft drink products to children on television to non-broadcast media.

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Food companies operating in Ireland exporting to the UK are already being hit by the drop in the value of sterling but the Irish food industry could face a range of other challenges from Brexit, the head of the country's trade association has warned.

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Food and drink manufacturers operating in the UK may find it difficult to fill seasonal vacancies this Christmas, the organisation that represents labour providers in the country has warned.

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The UK government today (18 October) set out its bid to increase the value of the country's food and drink exports by GBP2.9bn, with plans to target a select group of markets.

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Tesco and Unilever have locked horns as the UK's largest retailer resists the consumer packaged goods giant's attempt to hike prices in the wake of Brexit. 

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Food and drink firms in England and Wales are putting post-Brexit uncertainty behind them to raise growth forecasts and plan to create more than 75,000 new jobs over the next five years, according to a new report published today (7 September).

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The UK government's bid to tackle childhood obesity in England, including a levy on soft drinks and a voluntary reduction for sugar reduction in foods, have been criticised by campaigners this morning (18 August).

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Sugar content in food drink could be cut by 20% over the next four years in the UK, according to leaked details of a long-awaited government strategy to combat childhood obesity that is expected to be published later today.

This afternoon, UK Prime Minister Theresa May gave her much-awaited speech on Brexit in the Italian city of Florence. Here's how the UK food industry lobby bodies (and some senior EU politicians) reacted.

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UK Prime Minister Theresa May has shed some light on what she wants from the country's negotiations to leave the EU and its post-Brexit future - and the food sector has given her speech a cautious welcome.