Wholesalers and self-distributing retailers are taking aggressive measures to reduce fuel consumption trucking food from distribution centers to stores throughout North America, according to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Transportation Benchmarks 2008 report, which was released earlier this week. The chief reason is spiking diesel fuel prices, with these price increases driving up transportation costs to 1.84 per cent of sales for wholesalers in 2007, well above the 1.59 per cent figure in 2004... ...Read more »

The high cost of fuel is wreaking havoc with some food and beverage industries worldwide, with demands for government aid increasing by the day. Winemakers in the south of France have vandalized supermarkets and burned two police cars in the southern city of Montpellier. The protest by vintners last week was in response to skyrocketing fuel costs and falling prices for regional wines. The thousands of protesters were seeking to draw the government’s attention to the plight of winemakers in... ...Read more »