WE'RE PLEASED TO BRING YOU JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR FOOD & DRINK RETAIL AND SUPPLY STORIES RECENTLY COVERED BY THE GROCER.
Tesco kicks off search for new artisan cheesemakers
The retailer said demand was growing for artisan cheese, with its regional cheese category worth over £12m a year. Read more>>
Fortnum & Mason plans new stores outside London for the first time
Fortnum’s would target one or two new sites, in ‘beautiful’ locations ‘up the spine of the country’, CEO Tom Athron said. Read more>>
Veg Power launches ‘Attack the Snack’ campaign to encourage healthier snacking
The campaign from the not-for-profit alliance is designed to help parents introduce nutritionally balanced snacks with limited stress and is supported by a taskforce of experts. Read more>>
Farming profits rise by £1.6bn with livestock driving growth
The total income from farming in 2024 jumped to £7.7bn in 2024 from £6.1bn in 2023. Read more>>
Three-quarters of Brits want to switch to ‘cull-free’ eggs, new report finds
The UK egg industry kills between 40 million and 45 million male chicks, which can’t be used for meat and can’t lay eggs, each year in a process called hatch and dispatch. Read more>>
Food inflation hits 15-month high as chocolate and meat prices rise
Spiking food prices has offset cheaper transport to keep UK inflation levels steady in the year to May, new official data out this morning has revealed. Read more>>
Scottish government backtracks on plans for draconian HFSS clampdown
Holyrood has rowed back on plans for a ban on all promotions of HFSS products, instead announcing it would mirror the promotions ban brought in under the last Westminster government. Read more>>
Waitrose and Co-op slam rivals for breaking meat sourcing commitments
Waitrose said sourcing imported beef ‘undermined the industry’s credibility with the farming community’. Read more>>
FDF swings behind mandatory health reporting in call for ‘bold’ action on obesity
Calls for the government to bring in mandatory reporting on health in its new Food Strategy have received a major breakthrough, with the FDF backing the proposals. Read more>>
Brexit: future of environmental health officers in danger amid UK-EU deal
With EU and UK controls on agrifoods set to be massively scaled back, the personnel originally hired to handle the controls could be let go. Read more>>
Fortnum & Mason launches ‘first ever’ loyalty scheme to attract more shoppers
Friends of Fortnum has been designed to appeal to Fortnum’s ‘growing community of adventurous customers’. Read more>>
Spending review: food and farming offer ‘cautious’ welcome
Defra was handed a £2.7bn annual settlement, however, questions remain over how the money will be spent. Read more>>
‘Alarming and depressing’: campaign groups react to fall in 5-a-day consumption
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey showed less than a fifth of adults and less than one in 10 children aged 11 to 18 meet the 5-a-day recommendation. Read more>>
Morrisons under fire over Aussie beef listing, as it breaks 100% British pledge
Morrisons said it still sourced only 100% British beef on its meat counters, but the move has prompted an angry response from the farming community. Read more>>
More than 90,000 retail jobs lost last year amid ‘rising tide’ of employment costs
ONS figures show 360,000 roles have been lost from the retail sector over the past decade, warned the BRC. Read more>>
Whole Foods Market primary distributor United Natural Foods hit by cyberattack
United Natural Foods detected ‘unauthorised activity’ on its IT systems. Read more>>
Independent retail ‘on brink of disaster’ as pressures mount
A third of independent retailers have recorded an increase in crime since the start of 2025, new data shows. Read more>
Supply chain fairness review into combinable crops launched
The review, which will help producers have clear, fair and enforceable contracts, has been launched as part of the government’s New Deal for Farmers. Read more>>
Water assessments scheme launched to tackle on-farm drought risk
The assessments will support farmer groups to collaborate on drought resilience measures and delivering on the government’s commitment to food security. Read more>>
Concerns grow over influx of Ukrainian eggs into UK market
Egg industry insiders have warned two companies are eyeing potential expansion in the UK. Read more>>
Planet Organic losses narrow after year of ‘meaningful progress’
Founder Renée Elliott and new MD Mark Broomfield focused on stabilising Planet Organic’s cost base by closing stores. Read more>>
Fruit & veg border checks on EU imports scrapped
The checks on fruit & veg, which represented the final phase of the previous government’s Border Target Operating Model, were due to kick in on 1 July. Read more>>
SIGN UP FOR OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO THE INNOVATIVE AND AGILE SPECIALIST FOOD MARKET.
If you do not already receive our montly digital newsletter Farm Shop & Deli News, produced by The Grocer in conjunction with the Farm Shop & Deli Show, please click on the image below to sign up now. The Grocer will carry a wide range of articles to inspire and inform, while William Reed will host additional content including videos and webinars on the Farm Shop & Deli Show website.
