Comment

  • My viewpoint: the threat of the UK-US trade deal to localism

    A SECRETIVE new EU-US trade deal poses a wide-ranging threat to localism, the environment and food safety, writes Polly Jones.                     The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is an ambitious…

  • Now for fair pay

    AFTER FAIR trade and fair prices, the living wage is the next source of pressure for retailers and caterers.                             The local Co-op supermarket in North Berwick…

  • The political print

    THE EUROPEAN Commission is not known for its ability to unite public opinion and sure enough it was at its divisive best in November with the decision to scrap its most senior scientific position, that of chief scientific adviser (CSA).…

  • Green shoots in the tech sector

    SALES OF catering equipment increased again in 2013 and a new focus on energy efficiency and waste is a major reason why, says Andrew Capstick.                 The demand for equipment across the hospitality…

  • Minister’s viewpoint

    IN THE past year, barely a week has gone by without lively debate over the potential impact that salt, fat, and in particular sugar can have on our bodies.                       …

  • The Political Print

    IT’S ALWAYS easier to promise when you’re in opposition: just ask Nick Clegg, or for that matter David Cameron.                       The latter used his four minutes at the UN climate…

  • Transparency: SRA rating for cafés must be closely scrutinised

    A NEW sustainability rating scheme for cafés could work, says Wolfgang Weinmann, but it needs to be scrutinised.                   The UK loves coffee. By the end of 2013 there were 16,501 coffee…

  • Food for thought

    IN THE March issue of Footprint, Nestlé’s head of agriculture, Hans Jöhr, proclaimed that “we cannot certify or label people out of poverty”.                   In reality, “shared value” wouldn’t even be on Nestlé’s…

  • The arrival of genetically edited food

    GM TECHNOLOGY has traditionally long been a hard sell.                   Coupling the words “genetic” and “modification” hasn’t helped, and neither has the involvement of big corporate biotech firms. But how about “genetic editing”? The…

  • My Viewpoint: Authenticity is the bedrock of sustainability

    RED FACES all round at Greenpeace this summer as it emerged that one of its directors regularly commutes by air from his home in Luxembourg to the NGO’s HQ in Amsterdam.                 Greenpeace…