A new advertising to children initiative released today by Australia’s major quick service restaurants has been applauded by Australia’s leading organisation representing food and grocery manufacturers, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). Seven companies have signed up to the Australian Quick Service Restaurant Industry Initiative for Responsible Advertising and Marketing to Children, modelled on the AFGC’s Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative, which came... ...Read more »

A new study has revealed that less than 20 per cent of consumers trust food manufacturers and retailers to develop and sell food products that are safe and healthy. The research, by IBM, also discovered that 60 per cent of consumers remain concerned about the safety of food they purchase, and 63 per cent are knowledgeable about the content of the food they buy. The survey of consumers from the 10 largest cities in the US shows that consumers are increasingly wary of the safety of food purchased at... ...Read more »

Pill popping is giving way to healthier diets, according to new research from the UK. A new report from Mintel suggests the UK’s £396 million (A$825m) vitamins and supplements market is set to be a victim of its own nutrition agenda. Improved education on diet and nutrition has been a root cause of the struggles as the nation continues to eat more healthily and cuts back on its vitamins and minerals intake. The number of Brits popping supplements has been in steady decline since 2007, with... ...Read more »

The global financial crisis has not only impacted grocery purchasing behaviour but also the adoption of loyalty cards, usage rates of Australia’s largest loyalty card scheme suggest. General Manager of Coles’ FlyBuys program, Phil Hawkins, said the number of redemptions for credit card repayments and shopping gift vouchers had hit an all-time high of 82 per cent in the five-month period from January to May, 2009 as consumers sought to reduce the size of their bills. This compares to... ...Read more »

A list of potential bidders for Goodman Fielder’s commercial fats and oils business has been created by their adviser Citigroup (C), with Dubai-based IFFCO considered a lead contender, according to a report in today’s Australian Financial Review. Goodman announced a sale of the underperforming business last month as part of a change in strategic direction that will see a greater focus on consumer brands. The firm is hoping for between $300 million and $400 million from the sale. A spokesman... ...Read more »

Fonterra, the world’s largest dairy exporter, has consolidated ten core operations into a single strategic business unit and reorganised its senior management team, but their Australian consumer brands business will not be impacted. The dairy firm’s CEO, Andrew Ferrier, said the changes were designed to boost efficiency and give greater focus to the company’s global ingredients business. The consolidated business unit, Fonterra Operations and Trade, brings together all functions... ...Read more »

Recent reports in the Fairfax press and Australian Food News suggested that Coles Supermarkets is about to review its customer loyalty strategy. According to Joe Blundell, the Coles Marketing Director, the current Giant Gift Card Giveaway promotion May 7-July 31 2009 is in part, a trial of a new process that provides shoppers with instant cash rewards for their regular shopping. It was suggested that this more instantaneous approach will see FlyBuys phasing out domestic flights rewards and developing... ...Read more »

Cleaner, greener, ethical, sustainable: these are demands of the new food shopper, according to an international expert on the food industry.Professor David Hughes, the keynote speaker at this week’s National Farmers Federation congress, told delegates that there had been a move towards seasonal eating, nostalgic foods and ethical consumption. Professor Hughes, who earlier told the conference about Australia’s high standing for quality but limited linkage to specific products other than... ...Read more »

Nielsen announced today that image-based online ad spending by Consumer Goods companies increased in the US by 57 per cent over the last two years, despite the concerns over the economic environment. “While direct response advertising has been very successful on the Internet, with categories like finance and travel devoting a significant portion of their budget to online advertising, on-line advertising will not continue to grow as rapidly without major brands beginning to devote larger portions... ...Read more »

Nearly 40% of Aussie mums are raising fussy eaters – a problem that’s costing time, money and extra effort in the kitchen, the Nestlé National Voice of Aussie Mums* survey has found. The survey of 16,597 mothers by the world’s largest food group also discovered that mothers still take on more than their fair share of cooking duties, a vital piece of information for food marketers. Around two in every five (41%) Australian mums have to cook two or three meals each night to ensure... ...Read more »