The Coca-Cola Company is planning to remove a potentially damaging additive from their Diet Coke beverages in the UK but the chemical is to continue to be used in Australia. The controversial chemical Sodium Benzoate, which has been linked to hyperactivity and could deactivate parts of DNA, is to no longer be used in Diet Coke with Coca-Cola claiming the move has been made in response to consumer demand for more natural products. “We are continuously looking at emerging trends and... ...Read more »
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) resumed their grocery price inquiry in Melbourne yesterday, with Coles the latest supermarket to be put under the spotlight and forced to deny accusations of anti-competitive behaviour. The ACCC has been worried that competition could be limited based on revelations by IGA and Woolworths that they instruct store managers to merely match the prices of their competitors. “If Coles’ instruction to its managers is exactly the... ...Read more »
Rumours abound about a major takeover in the beer industry. InBev, the Belgian-based owner of the Beck’s, Stella Artois and Hoegaarden brands, is apparently considering a $46b bid for US brewer Anheuser-Busch. The takeover speculation, reported at the end of last week by the Financial Times, led Anheuser-Busch to a 52 week high on the New York Stock Exchange. Anheuser-Busch, which manages the Budweiser brand, is expected to try and stave-off any unsolicited bids from InBev, but the... ...Read more »
Parmalat Australia Limited has confirmed their interest in purchasing Dairy Farmers via a proposed joint venture with leading Australian milk processor, Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Co. Limited. The Italian dairy firm indicated that the opportunity to purchase was currently being reviewed in conjunction with Murray Goulburn, but stressed that the process was still at a preliminary and non binding stage. According to an ACCC letter to market participants, the joint venture would split Dairy... ...Read more »
The much discussed, and widely criticized, US Farm Bill is about to become law despite being vetoed by US President George Bush last week. President Bush vetoed the Bill on May 21, describing it as ‘inconsistent’ with the US objectives in the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The US Congress has now moved to over-ride the President’s veto. The $290 billion Farm Bill has been widely condemned by trading partners and international aid groups alike, with the US Department... ...Read more »
As the world struggles with escalating wheat, rice and dairy costs it now appears Australian fresh fruit and vegetable prices are set to rise as well. Chief Executive Officer of Growcom, Jan Davis, claims that fertiliser and chemical prices now comprise between 11 per cent and 14 per cent of total farm input costs with the recent dramatic increase in prices blamed on a lack of fertiliser suppliers. “Growers are concerned that limited competition in the fertiliser supply industry is creating... ...Read more »
The impact of higher inflation, interest rates and fuel costs is beginning to become apparent on restaurants and cafes, but pubs appear to be galvanised by the economic concern. A relatively low priced local meal in a smoke-free room has, according to the latest figures, lured increasingly time-poor Australians back to the pub for a meal. A Westpac report on the outlook for food retailers indicates that sales of food and alcohol at pubs and clubs increased by 8.9 per cent in the twelve months... ...Read more »
Incoming Coles Chief Executive, Ian McLeod, has outlined his plans for the company in a meeting with journalists on Friday. Mr McLeod, a Scottish retailer with ten years experience at UK supermarket chain Asda, believes it could take five years to turnaround the fortunes with a change in culture to take time. “There’s probably a cultural shift within the organisation that will be required, particularly in relation to the emphasis placed on stores,” he said. “I don’t... ...Read more »
A groundbreaking industry program, called GlassRite Wine, has enabled the UK to substantially cut their CO2 emissions within the wine industry. The project, funded by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), has shown that bulk importing of wine into the UK and the use of lighter weight bottles can lead to major environmental and business benefits for the wine industry. The first phase of GlassRite Wine ran from Summer 2006 to March 2008, managed by British Glass, and involved an impressive... ...Read more »
Thomas Dux, Woolworths latest attempt to increase their share of the grocery industry, is destined to fail, according to past history cited by Tim Morris, from New Zealand-based Coriolis Research. “I don’t think Thomas Dux will work for them. The middle market retailers that have tried to go upmarket didn’t succeed,” he told the Leading Edge Future Retail Conference this week. Mr Morris cited the attempt by US-based Safeway to extend to upmarket retail in the 1980’s... ...Read more »