US food safety was once again in the spotlight this week, when our headlines were dominated by the salmonella scare that has swept the US, sickening 488 people across 43 states.
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To date the outbreak, which has been linked to peanut better produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), has resulted in the recall of more than 125 products – ranging from ice cream to cookies and snacks. PCA supplied peanut butter products to over US 70 companies, and food industry majors like Kellogg and General Mills have been caught up in the scare.
In Europe, we saw a swathe of food manufacturers and retailers announcing disappointing results and job cuts. German retailer Metro Group told just-food that it would axe 15,000 jobs to cut costs; Swiss chocolate makers Lindt and Barry Callebaut saw currency exchange erode revenues; Iceland’s Alfresca witnessed sinking sales; while Dutch-owned meat group Vion announced UK job losses.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom this week, with UK retailer Morrisons posting robust sales gains and standing firm on its outlook. Meanwhile Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, expanded in Latin America with the successful completion of a tender offer for a controlling stake in Chilean retailer D&S.
US: FDA warns on peanut butter consumption
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reportedly urged consumers to avoid eating products that contain peanut butter until authorities have investigated the salmonella outbreak.
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By GlobalDataUS: Over 125 products recalled in peanut scare
Over 125 products have been recalled in the US peanut butter salmonella food scare – and US officials have warned that the investigation is getting wider and wider.
GERMANY: Metro restructuring to cut 15,000 jobs
Metro Group, the Germany-based retail giant, plans to cut its global workforce by 15,000 as part of a restructuring programme announced this week.
SWITZ: Lindt fails to hit FY sales target
Swiss chocolate producer Lindt & Sprüngli missed its full-year revenue forecast today (20 January) despite posting a 5.8% rise in annual sales.
SWITZ: Currency weighs on Callebaut sales
Barry Callebaut, the Swiss chocolate group, has seen the strength of the Swiss franc weigh on its first-quarter sales.
ICELAND: Fish group Alfesca sees sales sink
Iceland-based food group Alfesca has blamed a slowdown in consumer spending for falling second-quarter sales.
UPDATE: UK: Vion confirms cuts in restructuring move
Vion, the Dutch-owned food group, has confirmed that it will cut around 820 jobs from its UK operations after the loss of Marks and Spencer’s deli business and as it looks to restructure its meat businesses.
IRELAND: Superquinn to axe 400 staff in cost-cutting drive
Irish supermarket group Superquinn has announced plans to cut 400 jobs – around 10% of its workforce – and close one store in Dundalk as it looks to cut costs out of the business.
UPDATE: UK: Morrisons chief firm on margins
Morrisons chief executive Marc Bolland today (22 January) insisted that the UK retailer’s margins “held up nicely” over Christmas as concerns over the company’s profit outlook weighed on its shares.
CHILE/US: Wal-Mart hails “successful” D&S tender offer
US retail giant Wal-Mart today (23 January) confirmed that it has been successful in its tender offer to acquire a stake in Chile’s largest food retailer Distribucion y Servicio D&S.
