The FMT Blog
Opinion, analysis and musings from the FMT editorial team and expert guest writers about the food processing and manufacturing sector.
Leisure slump helps feed food fraud according to industry insiders
Beleaguered butchers are paying the price for the rising number of leisure businesses going bust, according to industry insiders, Regency Purchasing Group. One impact of this is the continuing problems of ‘food fraud’ in the UK. A recent report suggested that illegal...
Deadline fast approaching to enter UK Sausage Week competition
With another high level of entries this year, YPL Exhibitions & Events has extended the deadline for nominating and entering sausages into the 2019 UK Sausage Week competition until Thursday 29th August. There are 14 categories available in the UK Sausage Week...
Morrisons to close four supermarkets
Morrisons is to close four of its supermarkets with the potential loss of 400 jobs. The stores in question are in Swindon town centre, Ince, Crawley and Shirley in the West Midlands. A spokesperson for Morrisons said: "We will now be going through a consultation...
Tesco warns it may not list brands that use excessive plastics
At four meetings with over 1,500 suppliers, Tesco set out its vision for the next stage of its packaging agenda. The retailer is committed to removing excess packaging from Tesco brand and branded products. Tesco also briefed suppliers that from next year, the size...
Rationing considered by supermarket in event of No Deal Brexit
A senior executive at a major food retailer has told the BBC it is considering introducing rationing. The aim appears to be to prevent firms that have not made their own no-deal Brexit plan from using food retailers as wholesalers, which it says has happened in the...
FSS recommends eating out should be a healthier experience
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has called for significant changes to make food outside of the home healthier. FSS believes implementing these evidence-based recommendations is a positive and necessary step towards shaping the Scottish Government’s Out of Home Strategy...
Scotland’s seafood exports to Japan increase fourfold
Scottish seafood exports to Japan rose to over 2,630 tonnes last year, up from 598 tonnes in 2017, and a contingent of seafood companies heading East for the Japan Seafood Expo 2019 (21st – 23rd August) is set to bolster the export trend, with this year’s delegation...
Proseal celebrates a significant manufacturing milestone
Tray sealing specialist Proseal is celebrating a manufacturing milestone with the production, sale and installation of their tray sealing machine, serial number 5000. The machine was purchased by existing and long-standing local Cheshire customer, Forresters – one of...
Cutting Edge joins Northern Powerhouse programme
Food equipment supplier, Cutting Edge, has joined the Northern Powerhouse partnership. The company says the programme shares many of the same key principles that have driven Cutting Edge’s success over the last 25 years, with an ambition to promote innovation and...
Hottest day fails to rally grocery sales
The latest grocery market share figures, published from Kantar, show year-on-year supermarket sales were flat during the 12 weeks to 11th August 2019 as the tough comparisons with 2018’s strong summer continue. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at...