A study by Unilever, one of the world’s leading consumer products companies, reveals how different demographic groups in America will change their shopping habits as belts continue to tighten during challenging economic times. More than 30 per cent of consumers are eating at home more and eating out less and 40 per cent feel worse off than a year ago as shoppers continue to grapple with managing their budgets during uncertain economic times, according to the new study - ‘Winning Shoppers... ...Read more »

ConAgra Foods, a leading North American packaged food company, has reported that they are the first company in North America to incorporate post-consumer recycled plastic in their frozen meal trays, which will divert approximately 8 million pounds (about 3.6 million kg) of plastic from landfills to the recycling stream annually. ConAgra Foods has begun to use between 30 percent and 40 percent post-consumer recycled plastic in nearly all of its frozen meal trays for Healthy Choice, Banquet, Kid Cuisine... ...Read more »

New Zealand can no longer rely on being the lowest cost producer, with its food industry needing to raise its game to adapt to the changing economic climate of the global industry, according to Professor of Food Marketing Dr David Hughes from the Imperial College London. His advice, while primarily directed toward the New Zealand food industry, is also relevant to Australian producers and manufacturers. Quality products, not fancy packaging Consumers, despite more difficult economic conditions, are... ...Read more »

New legal controls, including cross-border laws, are needed to halt all marketing of junk food and soft drinks to children up to 16 years, according to new proposals from the International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO). The only promotions permitted to target children should be for foods which meet strict criteria for a healthy diet, says IASO’s policy arm, the International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF). An IOTF working group is calling for legal steps as part of an international... ...Read more »

Australian frozen food manufacturer Vesco Foods has announced it will stop producing coated fish products over the course of the next three to four months. The Perth-based business currently provides frozen meal products and frozen coated fish products to many leading national and international brands including supermarkets, retail outlets, restaurants and catering institutions. Vesco Foods Chief Executive Officer, Ian Halliday, said the decision followed an extensive review of the company’s... ...Read more »

Leading food manufacturer Heinz has announced their Fiscal 2008 sales increased by 12%, as the company searches for growth from the booming health and wellness food sector. H. J. Heinz Company Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer William Johnson advised that the surge in sales past the $10b milestone for the first time was driven by the successful introduction of numerous new products, many of them catering to the fast-growing healthy lifestyles segment. Growth in emerging markets such... ...Read more »

Australia’s largest food manufacturer, Goodman Fielder, has announced today that it would be recording a one-off write down of the company’s Fresh Dairy division in New Zealand. The company indicated that high costs and worsening conditions were to blame for the write down. “…in view of the deteriorating economic conditions in New Zealand and current high dairy commodity prices, Goodman Fielder had taken the prudent step of writing down the goodwill of its Fresh... ...Read more »

The Council of Better Business Bureaus has released its first report on the progress that participants in BBB’s groundbreaking self-regulation program - the ‘Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative’ - have made in changing the children’s food and beverage advertising landscape. BBB has assessed the participants’ compliance with their pledges regarding child-directed advertising of their food and beverage products and concluded that the participants... ...Read more »

The June quarter Commonwealth Bank - ACCI Business Expectations Survey shows a significant fall in business confidence and reported business conditions. Business confidence fell to its lowest level since the survey began in 1994 and general business conditions were at the lowest level for five years. The news comes on a day when the Reserve Bank of Australia has decided to leave the cash rate steady at 7.25%. The RBA decision was expected but, unlike previous months, their primary concern now appears... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council, the national body representing Australia’s food and grocery products manufacturers today welcomed the New South Wales Government’s $36 million initiative aimed at tackling obesity. The NSW Government yesterday unveiled their ‘Obesity Strategy’, with a $36 million commitment designed to decrease obesity levels amongst children from 25 per cent to 22 per cent by 2016. It involves a social marketing campaign, a research centre, advice... ...Read more »