The FMT Blog
Opinion, analysis and musings from the FMT editorial team and expert guest writers about the food processing and manufacturing sector.
Future of grocery shopping depends on customer experience
The Big Four supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons) are having to further enhance their customer experience (CX) and delivery capabilities in response to increased demand for eGrocery services and to prevent Amazon taking further market share, according...
Cold Chain Federation launches new report and virtual event series
The Cold Chain Federation has published its new report, Shaping the Cold Chain of the Future: The Road to Net Zero, that examines how the UK cold chain can start a collaborative journey towards becoming a Net Zero industry. The new report opens four weeks of...
Bureau Veritas calls on hospitality businesses to introduce stricter Covid-secure measures
Global health and safety company Bureau Veritas has advised that hospitality businesses must step up their fight against coronavirus transmission with a more robust and formalised framework to avoid the risk of fines or closure, following the Prime Minister's...
CEIH calls on Government to protect standards in Agriculture Bill
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed the news that an amendment to Agriculture Bill, requiring food imports to meet domestic standards, was voted through in the House of Lords. Despite assurances from Ministers that UK standards will not...
Whitworths sees sales boom during coronavirus
Snacking and ingredients firm Whitworths saw a “significant sales increase” during lockdown with a turnover of more than £117 million, according to the company’s annual financial results. While sales were up as a result of the pandemic, Whitworths added that it had...
Chancellor unveils ‘winter economy plan’ for businesses
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced another support scheme for UK businesses which will replace the existing furlough scheme. The winter economy plan will see the Government and employers pay one-third of workers equivalent salary each for the next six months from...
Turbulence expected for UK food-to-go market
The UK food-to-go market has experienced significant challenges in 2020 and will continue to be impacted by Covid-19 over the next three years, according to the latest forecast from IGD. The new research, formed in consultation with the industry, predicts that the...
UK listed as “exemplar” as part of Food Waste Reduction Roadmap
The UK has been named “exemplar” in its efforts to reduce food waste, with the annual progress report published by WRAP and IGD now receiving the support of more than 210 businesses across the food industry. The UK’s Food Waste Reduction Roadmap and its strategy of...
Scotland’s growers call for decisions on seasonal workers for 2021
As Scotland’s soft fruit season draws to a close and vegetable harvesting and packing gears up for the autumn, NFU Scotland (NFUS) has called on the UK Government to make decisions now that will allow the recruitment of non-UK staff in 2021. The Seasonal Worker Pilot...
FDF responds to latest Covid-19 restrictions for hospitality sector
The latest measures laid out by Prime Minister Boris Johnson could be the “fatal blow” to manufacturers which supply the foodservice and hospitality industries, according to chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), Ian Wright. The new restrictions will...