Small food businesses will gain access to intelligence on food fraud as part of a new industry information-sharing initiative.
The Food Industry Intelligence Network (fiin) has launched a free-to-access resource hub designed to help small to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) identify and manage potential risks of fraud within their supply chains.
Fiin was established following the 2013 horsemeat scandal and brings together major food retailers, manufacturers and foodservice businesses to share intelligence on risks of food fraud. Members submit data relating to raw material or ingredient testing via the network’s legal host, Eversheds Sutherland, after which the aggregated data is anonymised, consolidated and reported upon within the group.
SMEs will be able to access resources including a regularly updated ‘commodity watchlist’ of food categories flagged for increased scrutiny. The list is shaped by quarterly reviews of data from fiin members and analysis by its technical steering group. These insights are supplemented with external market intelligence, including harvest conditions, supply and demand shifts, and geopolitical developments.
Historically, smaller businesses have struggled to access the same level of intelligence on food fraud as larger companies and have fewer resources for dealing with the risks. The hub has been specifically developed to help businesses who may have limited financial or technical capacity navigate the growing complexity of global supply chains and strengthen their defences against food fraud.
Professor Chris Elliott, founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast, recommended the creation of an industry intelligence sharing network as part of his independent review into the horsemeat scandal. He welcomed the creation of the new hub.
“The most vulnerable parts of the UK food supply system to fraud are SMEs and particularly those in the foodservice sector who lack the knowledge and resources to defend themselves against criminal elements,” said Elliott. “Fiin are now supplying extremely valuable information to all SMEs, free of charge, to help them combat these threats by providing detailed information as to which commodities are at greatest risk and where to obtain more information to protect their businesses and their customers.”
