The salt reduction efforts of members of the food industry in the UK appear to be paying dividends, according to new data from leading market insight provider, TNS Worldpanel. Between September 2006 and September 2008, shoppers bought 3,794 tonnes less salt in five categories: bread (including morning goods such as waffles, pancakes and muffins), breakfast cereals, canned goods, crisps (potato chips), and savoury home cooking products (including table salt). The ongoing reduction is attributed to... ...Read more »

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents the UK’s food and beverage manufacturers, and Improve, the food and drink sector skills council, are working on a formal set of National Occupational Standards which underpin the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in the food and drink industry. Employers are currently consulting on the draft standards, which will define the knowledge and skills that all employees should have to make the industry as a whole,... ...Read more »

Members of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) have reduced their CO2 emissions by 17% since 1990 as part of a plan to reduce their environmental impact. The reduction means the industry has been releasing an average of 58,000 tonnes less CO2 per year since 1990 – the equivalent of taking 22,000 cars off UK roads each year. This data is to be released today by the FDF in a new report highlighting how the UK’s biggest manufacturing sector is trying to reduce their environmental impact... ...Read more »

A high profile debate, organised by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the UK Government’s Foresight unit, was held overnight to discuss the role of convenience foods and their impact on obesity. The event brought together senior industry executives and key stakeholders to mark the first anniversary of publication of the Foresight report on obesity. That report is widely credited with having reframed the debate on the causes and management of obesity and for setting out a long-term vision... ...Read more »

UK food and beverage manufacturers have pledged to continue to improve the nutritional value of their products despite reporting that economic concerns are beginning to weigh more heavily on their plans. Speaking at the ‘Tackling Obesity: Working Towards a Healthier Nation’ conference in London overnight, Melanie Leech, Director General of the Food and Drink Federation, outlined the ways the food and drink manufacturing industry is responding to the challenges of the UK Government’s... ...Read more »

Regulators and policy makers need to get out from behind their desks to see what it is really like to work in the food and drink industry, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Director General Melanie Leech told a major conference in London overnight. Speaking at the New Regulatory Reform Agenda conference organised by Whitehall & Westminster magazine, Leech said: “I understand the time pressures facing those in Government and its agencies – but if you don’t understand business processes,... ...Read more »

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has established that there is a continued downward trend in the amount of salt consumed by people in the UK. The Agency has been pushing the decreased salt message for a number of years and an encouraging decline in recent years reflects the positive progress made by the food industry in reformulating products, as well as the behaviour changes of consumers, who are checking labels and adding less salt to their food. The new evidence estimates that the UK’s average... ...Read more »

A new report has labelled food companies “irresponsible” in their marketing of food to children. The report, by consumer group ‘Which?’, has been slammed by the Food and Drink Federation as “misleading” and “sloppy”. The report, which singles out a number of high profile companies, suggests that many companies are looking to text messaging competitions and social networking sites to boost the appeal of junk food to children. Titled ‘Food Fables’,... ...Read more »

Forty UK food and drink companies yesterday pledged to make fewer and friendlier food transport miles, signing up to the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Environmental Checklist and Clause for Greener Food Transport. The FDF believe this is yet another step forward by the food and drink manufacturing industry towards making a real difference to the environment. The signatories, including some of the biggest household brands in the world, have committed to using the ten point checklist in order... ...Read more »

The issues of food and health, the environment and food inflation formed the core themes of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) President’s speech at the recent FDF President’s Dinner held at the Waldorf Hotel in London. Iain Ferguson, the President of the FDF, highlighted the ongoing challenges currently facing the food and drink manufacturing sector particularly: food labelling, reformulation, environmental best practice, and the new demands put on our food supply. With regard to health,... ...Read more »