The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) is calling on governments to support a single front of pack labelling system that includes information about energy, fat, sugar, salt and serve sizes. AFGC Chief Executive, Kate Carnell, said there is already a front of pack labelling system in the market place that provides this information. The Daily Intake Guide is on more than 1100 products and is used by major manufacturers and retailers including Woolworths, Coles, IGA, Franklins, ALDI and McDonalds.... ...Read more »

A report linking the practices of the tobacco industry of the 50s, 60s and 70s to the food industry of today has caused quite a stir. In a review and analysis of tobacco and food industry practices, leading researchers from Yale University and the University of Michigan pinpointed similarities in strategies used across both industries. The research, which appears in the March issue of Millbank Quarterly, claims parallels in areas such as emphasising personal responsibility, influencing government... ...Read more »

Australian consumers are currently spending more or the same on groceries than last year, can be swayed by well-placed advertising and prefer to shop in larger centres for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), according to new research commissioned by mall media provider Eye Shop. Over 400 shoppers took part in the January survey, with respondents separated into a range of lifestyle stages: Young Person, Young Couples, Young Families, Older Families and Older Couples. A key finding of the study was... ...Read more »

The pressure on “A-brands” in the food sector is set to increase further in the years ahead. The product range groups in which these brands operate are losing space in supermarkets as they fail to offer sufficient value above private label goods, according to Rabobank. “The brand landscape in the … food sector will undergo a metamorphosis in the coming years,” Sipko Schat, Member of the Executive Board of Rabobank, advised. “A-brands will no longer focus exclusively... ...Read more »

The European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on contaminants in the food chain has set a reduced tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for cadmium of 2.5 micrograms per kilogram of body weight (µg/kg bw), based on an analysis of new data. Cadmium is a heavy metal which enters the environment from natural sources, such as volcanic emissions and the weathering of rocks, as well as from industry and agriculture. It is found in the air, soil and water and can subsequently accumulate in plants and animals.... ...Read more »

In order to minimise public health risks and loss of reputation, Pro-Visual Publishing is encouraging food manufacturing companies to follow Food Standards Australia and New Zealand’s new recall protocol in their 2009 edition of the Food Manufacturing Industry Guide to Safety. The safety guide, which will be distributed free of charge in April, covers the key topics of the new Food Standards protocol, which was released earlier this month, and encourages business to implement a food recall... ...Read more »

BI-LO in America yesterday announced that it has filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. The company, which operates over 215 stores, blamed the deterioration in credit markets for the move, once again highlighting the notion that cash is king in today’s marketplace. “On an operational level, we are making significant progress this year and we have seen solid sales momentum and strong cash flow,” said Michael Byars, President... ...Read more »

Dr Brendan Nelson, who is set to exit politics at the next election, is joining The Remedies Group as a Strategic Advisor to the Board. The Remedies Group is a privately held Australian company comprising two specialist divisions: Remedies Products – marketer and distributor of healthcare products specifically targeted to convenience shoppers – and Remedies Print. They market and distribute convenience formats of brands such as Nurofen, Herron and Strepsils to retailers including Coles,... ...Read more »

New research has analysed the brand switching trends of Australian shoppers, with bread and pasta among the most prominent categories to have low brand loyalty. The research was commissioned by outdoor advertising company oOh!media Group Ltd to offer insights into the attitudes of consumers while shopping in various categories. Retail advertising campaigns were found to be persuasive while consumers were shopping, although brand loyalty remained strong for coffee, cereal, toothpaste and washing powder.... ...Read more »

The Consumer Affairs Minister, Chris Bowen MP, yesterday released the draft industry code to implement a mandatory unit pricing scheme. “This code – once enacted – will create a nationally‑consistent unit pricing scheme, so that all Australian consumers can have access to prominent, legible and unambiguous unit pricing information when they do their weekly grocery shop,” Mr Bowen said. The code was based upon the framework previously announced in January, with stakeholder... ...Read more »