Coles is cutting the price of its free range eggs in a bid to help more customers afford the switch away from caged eggs. Prices on Coles Brand free range eggs will fall in all States from today with cuts of at least 18%. Coles also announced that it will phase out Coles Brand caged eggs by 2013. The move follows a clear message from customers that they want to buy free range eggs instead of caged eggs but are prevented from doing so because of the cost. Latest research shows that 95% of Coles customers... ...Read more »

Food and personal care giant Unilever said it will increase prices on some of its products in a bid to recoup higher commodity costs. A spokesperson for the firm told just-food that globally, its prices will increase between now and the end of this calendar year, partly due to an increase in input costs. “For 2010 overall, we are expecting commodity cost inflation of about 2%,” the spokesperson said. “Every business within the consumer goods industry will be affected by these volatilities... ...Read more »

US chain Starbucks Coffee has responded to the recent dramatic increases in the price of green arabica coffee, currently close to a 13-year high, as well as significant volatility in the price of other key raw ingredients, including dairy, sugar and cocoa. Starbucks announced that while it has no plans to raise prices of beverages or packaged coffee sold in Starbucks U.S. or international stores across-the-board, it does plan to implement targeted price adjustments on certain beverages in certain... ...Read more »

Australians generate about 690kg of waste per year per person, making them the second highest generators of household waste behind the US. However, more Australians are making an effort to reduce household waste by recycling, finds Datamonitor.The research from the independent business analyst reveals that 69% of Australian consumers ‘always’ recycle household waste such as glass, paper and plastics, while a further 20% ‘often’ do so. “A growing number of campaigns are encouraging... ...Read more »

Danone has refuted claims from Russian grocery retailer Seventh Continent that it has increased its wholesale prices in the country by up to 31%.The French food giant confirmed there had been an increase but not to the extent claimed by Seventh Continent. “Danone has increased prices for its products in Russia by 4% in average. [The] maximum increase for a single product was 9%,” the company told just-food yesterday (12 August). The Activia owner added that the increase was its first... ...Read more »

Australian families and consumers face higher food and grocery prices for Australian-made products under new Fair Work Act provisions which are affecting shipping costs, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) warned today. Under the Federal Government’s Fair Work legislation, higher operating costs have been imposed on leading Australian food and grocery manufacturers in terms of paying local wages to foreign seafarers carrying domestic freight between Australian ports. AFGC Chief... ...Read more »

Speaking in Orange today Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown called for a national register of foreign purchases of land or water in rural Australia.”In the coming century food and fibre production will be a huge issue as the world population soars to 10 billion people or more,” said Senator Brown. “It is important Australians know who owns the productive farmlands and water rights of our country. “Currently there is no register except in Queensland nor any vetting of foreign... ...Read more »

Neither major political party has a policy on something that affects every Australian, every day – food and groceries, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said today.Highlighting that Australia’s $100 billion food and grocery industry is four times larger than the automotive sector and employs 315,000 people including more than 150,000 in regional Australia, AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said there’s been no focus on this vital industry during the 2010 election campaign. “It’s... ...Read more »

High dairy commodity prices are likely to ease, but not rapidly, according to the latest report by Rabobank. The global dairy report for the second quarter published yesterday (24 June), found that while global dairy prices are expected to ease from current highs – as world supply builds and demand growth begins to slow – the drop is unlikely to be rapid or to occur until later in the year. “Demand for dairy is expected to continue through the second half of 2010, building on recovery... ...Read more »

 The Australian Government is looking to reduce the consumption of high sugar drinks in remote communities. The move comes on the back of a study published by the Menzies School of Health Research on Monday (17 May), which found income management in the Northern Territory had done little to dampen soft-drink sales. The research showed there had been an increase in the consumption of high sugar drinks in stores from October 2006 to September 2009. The research also cited reports that soft drinks... ...Read more »