Grocery sector news updates

The UK’s ten largest supermarkets continue to use neonicotinoids and other highly bee-toxic pesticides in their global supply chains, according to new research.  PAN UK ranked supermarkets on six areas aimed at tackling harmful pesticides. These included the support offered… Read More

The slowdown in the UK’s plant-based market is showing signs of levelling off, according to new research published by the Good Food Institute (GFI). Using Circana data, GFI showed that consumers in the UK are buying fewer plant-based foods, with… Read More

ProVeg International, WWF, and the Green Protein Alliance have called on food retailers to set targets to help “rebalance” food sales towards plant-based foods.  The NGOs want companies to align their targets with the ‘planetary health diet’. The split between plant-based… Read More

A group of British farmers, led by organic produce supplier Riverfood, has launched a stinging attack on supermarkets that use ‘fake’ farm names to brand products. “We have to ask ourselves why it is that supermarkets are making such a… Read More

Supermarkets will be allowed to use data from their own audits to demonstrate compliance with food hygiene standards under new plans drawn up by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The Grocer reported that the FSA will shortly put forward proposals that would… Read More

Tesco has won praise for taking a leadership role on the welfare of crustaceans including lobsters and prawns after it made a series of new welfare commitments. The retail giant this month published a farmed decapod crustacean welfare policy, a group… Read More

Major UK supermarkets have called on the new government to move swiftly to introduce legislation ensuring key food commodities are not linked to illegal deforestation. Using powers under the Environment Act 2021, the previous Conservative government was in the process… Read More

Morrisons has this month turned the freezers up in 10 of its stores. The change from -18°C to -15°C saves a significant amount of energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but with “no impact on food safety”, the supermarket chain… Read More

Asda has abandoned its trial of dedicated refill stores citing operational issues and commercial challenges. The supermarket chain launched its first eco trial store at Middleton near Leeds in 2020. It featured 15 refill stations offering household staples such as cereals, tea… Read More

Freshness, quality and animal welfare are the most important attributes when people buy livestock products. Environmental sustainability, such as food miles, carbon footprints and organic production, are the least important. The findings come from an online survey of 3,192 people conducted in five European countries: Czechia, Spain, Sweden,… Read More