Next Green Thing

Get real about the race to net zero

In the rush to make a public net zero commitment some companies are failing to question the intrinsic sustainability of their business models, argues Nick Hughes. Has your business set a net zero target for carbon emissions? If the answer… Read More
Chicken without the guilty conscience

The Colonel may still keep his recipe secret but KFC’s new welfare audit offers a look-see into the lives its chickens have. David Burrows reports. Amid all the talk of chlorine washing, cramped cages and razing forests to produce their… Read More
Covid-19 shock should provide crop protection stimulus

Plant pathogens are spreading thanks to climate change and globalisation. The threats to food security need to be taken seriously, says David Burrows. “As humans we are transfixed by diseases like malaria, HIV and TB, but we don’t think about… Read More
Bioplastics at a crossroads

Questions surrounding the taxation and regulation – as well as the very definition – of bioplastics have to be resolved before we can know what the future holds for a still nascent sector, writes Nick Hughes. Amid the ongoing assault… Read More
The Next Green Thing: Seaweed

Did you know that feeding seaweed to cattle and sheep can significantly cut the emissions of the greenhouse gas methane – a by-product of the animals’ burping? Nick Hughes explains… Hang on a minute, I’ve been ordering crispy seaweed for… Read More
Climate protests should act as a wake-up call

Businesses planning to keep their heads down in the hope that calls for change fizzle out are likely to be disappointed, argues Nick Hughes. What should businesses make of the Extinction Rebellion climate protests that have brought paralysis to parts… Read More
Winnow uses machine learning in new waste device

Winnow is using AI technology found in driverless cars to help chefs cut food waste and save money. The waste solutions provider this week launched Winnow Vision, a device that features an inbuilt camera that helps it learn to distinguish… Read More
FOOTPRINT TRENDS: a foodservice review for the new year

In the first of Footprint’s ‘Trends 2019’ series, Nick Hughes rounds up the year just gone and forecasts the key issues of 2019. Looking back on 2018 The biggest issue was … Plastic. From the day in December 2017… Read More
Will Pret ruling change the natural order?

A ruling against Pret A Manger for using the word natural in its marketing could open the floodgates to similar complaints. By Nick Hughes. What exactly do we mean by “natural” food? The question has been at the centre of… Read More
The big lab meat experiment

Polls suggest the UK public aren’t ready for so-called ‘clean meat’ – but change may be on the way. By David Burrows. Consumer polls must always be taken with a pinch of salt (especially those that quiz a small number of… Read More