Portion sizes recommended on food packaging are often used as no more than a guide by consumers who purchase more to ensure they have enough, according to a new report from IGD research. The IGD report discovered that consumers don’t trust the portion size information, although they do like it and use it as a guide when purchasing products. Thirty six per cent of respondents claimed they ignored portion size information on the pack and 38 per cent admitted they will eat what they want regardless... ...Read more »

A new report from America has highlighted the key changes in shopping rituals that present both opportunities and threats to food and beverage firms. The latest IRI Times & Trends Report, “Price Promotion & Merchandising: The Reinvention of CPG Marketing,”recommends a number of strategies for both manufacturers and retailers to capture the attention of the ever-demanding consumer. “There is no question-consumers are looking for value,” IRI Consulting & Innovation... ...Read more »

The Greens and Senator Xenophon will introduce a bill for ‘truth in food labelling’ when Parliament resumes next month. The bill seeks changes to eligibility requirements for using the Made in Australia label. “The ‘Made in Australia’ label is currently being given to some foods that only incur half of their total manufacturing costs in Australia,” Greens Leader Bob Brown remarked. “Most consumers want to do what they can to support Australian workers and... ...Read more »

Is Australia’s largest supermarket chain looking over their shoulder more cautiously? Woolworths has been dominant in the Australian supermarket sector for the best part of a decade, grabbing market share at will and recording consistent double digit profit growth. Reporting sales growth of 7.5 per cent this week would suggest all is well, but this is Woolworths and analysts have come to expect more. The results were, after all, not as brilliant as the first quarter despite the impact of the... ...Read more »

Breakfast continues to be a source of debate between cereal companies and obesity lobbyists, with the Advertising Standards Board asked to use the AANA Food and Beverage Code to settle the score. And Kellogg’s has won the latest battle. “A complaint about claims and nutritional benefits of a breakfast cereal has resulted in a determination in favour of the cereal company based on the Board’s understanding of how the target audience would interpret the advertisement,” Advertising... ...Read more »

The global recession is giving rise to a new breed of consumer that demands greater value for money and is less likely to put up with inferior service, according to a UK report released overnight. The BDO Stoy Hayward research discovered that 74 per cent of shoppers will now leave a store if they experience bad service, while 71 per cent would look elsewhere in search of cheaper prices as consumers begin to believe retailers should feel privileged to have them in their store. Don Williams, retail... ...Read more »

Tesco is continuing to defend itself over allegations of dairy price-fixing in the UK after the country’s competition watchdog released fresh evidence in support of previous findings.In 2007, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) found that a number of retailers and food producers had conspired to fix the retail prices of milk, butter and cheese in 2002 and 2003. Five firms, retailers Sainsbury’s and Asda, plus dairy groups Dairy Crest, The Cheese Company and Robert Wiseman Dairies, agreed... ...Read more »

McDonald’s Corporation has continued to prosper during the global recession, announcing higher revenues and profit for the second quarter compared to last year – after stripping out the impact of currency movements. They did, however, find greater growth resistance last month, which ensured their second quarter could not top an outstanding performance in the three months to March. “In today’s economic environment, our performance speaks to the strength of our plan and McDonald’s... ...Read more »

Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) has discovered that amid rampant private label food product development, manufacturers of the products are staying current with the latest food trends. Attempting to provide more than just cheap alternatives to national brands, the newest private label foods try to woo shoppers with premium ingredients, portability and health benefits. So far in 2009, Mintel’s GNPD has seen nearly 1,800 new US private label foods appear on retail store shelves:... ...Read more »

New research suggests that the salt content of some popular global brands varies across the world, with some consumers consuming twice as much from the same brand as their counterparts elsewhere in the world.The World Action on Salt and Health (WASH) surveyed over 260 food products available around the world from food manufacturers such as KFC, McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, Nestle, Burger King and Subway. Not one product surveyed had the same salt content around the world, according to the... ...Read more »