The FMT Blog
Opinion, analysis and musings from the FMT editorial team and expert guest writers about the food processing and manufacturing sector.
Lidl invests £435m in warehouses to expand its reach
UK retailer Lidl has started construction on a new warehouse in Leeds, which it said would create 400 new roles.
Asda warns that “high inflation will put pressure on purchasing power”
According to Asda’s latest income tracker, middle-income families have experienced the first decline in disposable income since September 2023.
Brakes announces support programme for small businesses
Foodservice supplier Brakes has launched an initiative to support small businesses that want to start supplying wholesale.
BRC attributes increased food prices to labour costs and high demand
The British Retail Consortium has highlighted that during the 1st-7th August period, shop price inflation increased to 0.9% on the year.
Waitrose MD to step down in September
James Bailey, managing director at Waitrose, will step down from his position in September, the John Lewis Partnership has announced.
Retailer invests £340m in M&S Food distribution centre
Marks & Spencer has unveiled a £340 million investment in an automated National Distribution Centre, with the aim of doubling the size of the M&S Food business.
Olive oil and butter prices have doubled since 2020, says FDF
The Food and Drink Federation has responded to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, finding that ingredient costs have “surged”.
Premier Foods acquires premium ready-to-eat grains brand
Food manufacturer Premier Foods has announced that it will acquire Merchant Gourmet, a premium, convenience meal brand.
Researchers suggest new food groups should be added to allergen labels
Allergy research has found eight food groups were not included in the mandatory labelling of foods despite accounting for at least 1% of cases of food anaphylaxis.
Branded sales prove popular with consumers, finds Worldpanel
Worldpanel by Numerator has released its retail data for the four weeks to 10th August 2025, finding that sales of branded grocery items were ahead of own-label by 2%.