Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King, announced today that Australia’s leading food manufacturers and retailers have voluntarily agreed to reduce salt levels in soup products over the next three years. The agreement between the Australian Government’s Food and Health Dialogue and leading manufacturers and retailers was reached in Canberra this morning. Leading manufacturers Unilever, Heinz, Campbell Arnotts and Nestle, along with major retailers Woolworths, Coles and... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council said today that commitments by both of the major political parties to reforming anti-dumping laws in Australia will benefit Australia’s food manufacturers. Dumping occurs when goods are imported into the domestic market at below production cost or through unlawful subsidies from other foreign governments. The AFGC said that smaller Australian food manufacturers are hit hard by these practices. Yesterday, the Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott launched... ...Read more »

A small but growing Western Australian food manufacturer, Sticky Fingers Gourmet Foods, claims that if traffic light labelling were introduced, it could spell the death knell for many small Australian food manufacturers. Lyn Bentley, Managing Director of Sticky Fingers Gourmet Foods contacted Australian Food News about its recent report of the dispute between CHOICE and the ACCC over front-of-pack label systems. Ms Bentley said, “As a small manufacturer supplying to both the food service and retail... ...Read more »

Members of Australia’s dairy industry gathered yesterday in Melbourne to celebrate the ‘best of the best’ at the 2010 Australian Grand Dairy Awards (AGDA). Victoria and Tasmania were home to the most award winners, with both states receiving seven Champion Awards and a Grand Champion award each. The awards, consist of 20 categories in cheese and other dairy products as well as one Grand Champion Dairy Award and one Grand Champion Cheese Award. All entrants are Gold Medallists within... ...Read more »

A Communiqué by Australia’s Environment Ministers outlining a comprehensive long-term national waste strategy has been well received by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). Meanwhile, the idea of a National Container Deposit System remains under review. The Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) strategy released yesterday welcomed the support and leadership of industry in reducing packaging waste and improving recycling rates across the nation. Under the new National... ...Read more »

The sweet spot in the beverage market, long dominated by a handful of major brand lines, has shifted to niche products that target a diverse set of consumer needs, occasions, and benefits.So what consumer needs can today’s beverages profitably quench? According to the a new report from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts, Beverage Trends: Culinary Trend Mapping Report, two drivers are spurring sales in the beverage market: * Better-for-you – the number-one driver... ...Read more »

According to latest shopper research from international food and grocery expert IGD, 55 per cent of shoppers would like to know more about the environmental impact of food and grocery products, with forty per cent are actively interested in packaging in particular.Other research from earlier this year discovered that 37% of shoppers think re-sealable packaging would help to reduce the amount of food they throw away, eight per cent higher than in 2007. “Shoppers are concerned about the environmental... ...Read more »

A Greens plan to introduce a national beverage deposit scheme – similar to that seen in South Australia – is currently under review by a Senate committee. The inquiry today heard from food and beverage manufacturers represented by industry body the Australian Food and Grocery Council and aluminium manufacturer Alcoa. Australians for Refunds on Cans and Bottlers also had their say on the issue that has the support of both the Greens and Family First Senator Steve Fielding. The plan would... ...Read more »

Baby boomers are shifting their grocery purchase patterns as they approach retirement age, according to new research from the US where – like Australia – baby boomers represent a significant proportion of the population. The latest IRI research, “Baby Boomers II: Preparing for the Upcoming Wave of Aging Shopper Growth,” examines the broad range of baby boomer lifestyle changes and identifies top-indexing food and non-food categories, recession-driven shopping patterns and... ...Read more »

Some of the world’s leading retailers and manufacturers in the consumer goods sector have united to create a global trade and industry body, which will develop common positions on key issues affecting the consumer goods industry. Named The Consumer Goods Forum, the range of members is a who’s who of the sector with combined sales of EUR 2.1 trillion (A$3.6 trillion). Manufacturers of the likes of Procter&Gamble, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Kraft join retail behemoths Wal-Mart,... ...Read more »