Eu

The Government has U-turned on its decision to implement further restriction on EU imports

Government U-turn on border strategy: Industry reaction

By Gwen Ridler

The UK government’s U-turn on border strategy will help clear up red tape surrounding imports, but could endanger parts of the industry to potentially devastating disease risks, warned members of the food and drink industry.

The health claims process and the deadlock on botanicals has come under particular scrutiny

Current EU regulation ‘unhelpful’, say one-in-three

By Noli Dinkovski

Dissatisfaction over the EU regulatory framework has risen sharply over the past year – with the health claims process and the deadlock on botanicals under particular scrutiny, research has found.

Meat exports from the UK to the EU post-Brexit could be subject to veterinary checks

EU meat exports could be hit by veterinary checks

By Noli Dinkovski

The threat of having to deal with veterinary clearance and checks on exports to the EU post-Brexit should be a “priority” concern for the meat industry, a leading meat association boss has claimed.

Food firms will need healthy balance sheets to cope with increased costs

Business Leaders’ Forum

Be warned: prepare for a hard Brexit

By Rick Pendrous

Food and drink manufacturers have been urged to plan ahead to ensure their businesses are financially robust enough to cope with the extra costs and barriers to trade they are likely to encounter following a hard Brexit.

Price: the EU knows how important the food and drink sector is

Brexit

Post-Brexit trade deals will be agreed, says former minister

By Rick Pendrous

The UK will go on to achieve a successful trading deal with the EU now that a last-minute deal to move on to the next phase of the Brexit negotiations has been struck, because it is in the interests of both parties to do so, former minister of state at...

Sir Ivan Rogers told the NFU forum: “There’s no amicable no deal.”

Brexit talks

Sir Ivan Rogers: ‘No Brexit deal would be a very bad deal’

By Mike Stones

Failing to strike a trade deal with the EU before Brexit would be “a very bad deal indeed” for the UK food and farming industry, former top civil servant Sir Ivan Rogers told a forum organised by the National Farmers Union (NFU) on Monday (November 20).

FDF boss Ian Wright sought reassurances from the government over whether EU migrants could remain after Brexit

FDF boss calls for reassurance on EU migrant workers

By Gwen Ridler

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has repeated calls for the government to confirm whether EU workers will be allowed to remain after Brexit, following the fifth round of Brexit talks in Brussels.

Prime Minister Theresa May has set out plans for a two-year Brexit transition period, in which the terms of trade should remain unchanged

Food industry welcomes PM’s transition period plan

By Michael Stones

The food and drink industry has welcomed Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan for a two-year transition period, in which the terms of trade should remain unchanged, to ease Britain’s exit from the EU.

Almost half of food and drink businesses said their EU workers were considering leaving the UK

Food industry ‘could face labour crisis’: FDF survey

By Matt Atherton

The food and drink sector could face a labour crisis without government action, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) warned, after a joint industry survey revealed thousands of EU workers have already returned home, and many more may follow.

The food and drink sector welcomed Brexit secretary David Davis's trade proposals to the EU (Flickr/Southbanksteve)

Industry welcomes government’s Brexit trade plan

By Matt Atherton

The government’s latest plans, to ensure goods already available in the UK and EU markets can remain on sale after Brexit, have been welcomed by Dairy UK and business leaders.

Unemployment has fallen to its lowest level in more than 40 years

‘Protect labour market’, as jobless rate falls: CBI

By Michael Stones

The UK’s flexible labour market must be protected by the government, urges the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), after the latest labour market statistics revealed a 125,000 rise in employment and 57,000 fall in unemployment.

Poultry and chicken recalls in Europe are at there highest since 2002

Poultry recalls hit a 15-year high across Europe

By Gwen Ridler

Recalls of chicken and poultry meat products across Europe are at a 15-year high, according to a report from business consultancy Stericycle Expert Solutions, with bacterial contamination accounting for more than 90% of food alerts.

Producers should decide which food hygiene practices to use, based on their target buyers, Policy Exchange said

FSA ‘should gain power to assess chlorinated chicken after Brexit’

By Matt Atherton

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) should be given new powers after Brexit to review scientific evidence on alternative food safety practices, including chlorinated-chicken, hormone-treated beef and genetically modified (GM) foods, says think-tank Policy...

Faccenda cut its antibiotic use by 70% over the past two years

Faccenda cuts antibiotics as EU ‘proves’ AMR risk

By Matt Atherton

Poultry processor Faccenda Foods has cut its antibiotic use by 70% over the past two years, as evidence mounts that its use increases the risk of antibiotic resistance (AMR) in humans and animals.

Meat input prices increased 17% since June 2016

Food ingredients cost ‘may rise after Brexit’

By Matt Atherton

Food ingredient prices could continue rising if Britain quits the EU, according to data specialist Informa Agribusiness Intelligence, after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed another round of increases over the past year.

Gove: ‘Provenance matters because our future does not lie in a pile it high sell it cheap race to the bottom’

Provenance key to food exports, claims Michael Gove

By Rick Pendrous

The provenance of UK-produced food would underpin the government’s global export strategy as the nation moves towards Brexit, Michael Gove claimed in one of his first outings as the new environment secretary.

Calls to remain inside the Single Market until Brexit are mounting

Business and Labour back Single Market access calls

By Matt Atherton

The Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI’s) calls to remain inside the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union until after Brexit have been backed by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, and the Labour Party.

A lack of season workers could push up prices and lead to failed harvests, warned the NFU

Seasonal workers at critically low level, warns NFU

By Gwen Ridler

Harvests could fail and food prices would increase if the industry loses access to EU seasonal workers, warned the National Farmers Union (NFU) and trade body British Summer Fruits, after a fall in staff left food producers critically short of people.

The FTA called for the government to rethink pulling out of the EU Customs Union

Review plan to quit EU Customs Union, urges FTA

By Gwen Ridler

The government should review its decision to leave the EU Customs Union, urged the Freight Transport Association (FTA), after the confusion caused by last week’s general election.

Calls for a soft Brexit have grown since the general election

Soft Brexit calls grow as business confidence falls

By Matt Atherton

Calls for a soft Brexit – maintaining closer ties to the EU’s market of 510M customers – continue to rise after the general election, as the Institute of Directors (IoD) reveals a “dramatic drop” in business confidence since the hung parliament.

Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said a Labour government would guarantee the right of EU nationals to remain in the UK 'on day one'

Election 2017

Labour would let EU nationals stay in the UK

By Matt Atherton

A Labour government would guarantee the rights of all non-UK EU nationals currently living in the UK to stay after Brexit, the party’s shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer pledged yesterday (April 25).

UK food exports to the EU face costly border checks after Brexit

Brexit

Food exports face border delays after Brexit

By Rick Pendrous

The UK’s food industry faces severe delays and rising costs of exporting and importing foodstuff to and from the EU following Brexit, if the government fails to negotiate a favourable deal to ensure “frictionless” border controls.

The Brexit clock will begin ticking after Article 50 is triggered today

Prioritise food, urges industry as Brexit triggered

By Michael Stones

The food and drink sector should receive priority in the forthcoming Brexit talks – which will begin after Article 50 is triggered today – urges a range of industry organisations.

The UK needs to secure a trade deal with the EU before Brexit happens: EEF

No EU trade deal is worse than a bad deal, claims EEF

By Gwen Ridler

Leaving the EU without a trade deal would be worse than the UK accepting a bad deal, claimed EEF, the manufacturing organisation – and any suggestion otherwise was “simply unacceptable to an industry that accounts for 45% of all UK exports”.

The food industry calls for stability ahead of Theresa May triggering Article 50

Food sector reveals core aims in Brexit trade talks

By Matt Atherton

The food and drink industry has urged government to deliver a Brexit trade deal that would ensure stability and continuity for the sector, ahead of the triggering of Article 50 on Wednesday (March 29).

Abbey Logistics has acquired bulk liquid food transport specialist Armet

Brexit must not delay smooth freight movements

By Rick Pendrous

Britain needs to keep trading with the rest of the EU and maintain smooth transport and logistics operations as Brexit progresses, with as few delays as possible, the head the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has warned.

Barrier-free access to the EU Single Market is vital: CBI

Barrier-free EU Single Market access is vital: CBI

By Gwen Ridler

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has repeated calls for barrier-free access to the EU’s Single Market after Brexit, following food industry calls for continued access to its 500M customers.

Kit Kat's four-finger shape is no longer covered by EU trademark

Nestlé loses Kit Kat trademark case

By Gwen Ridler

Nestlé’s four-finger Kit Kat chocolate bars are no longer covered by EU trademark protection, after a European court ruled the bars were not distinct enough.

Food prices will rise without access to non-UK EU workers, claimed 32 food and drink organisations (Flickr/Rich Girard)

Food prices to rise without access to EU workers

By Matt Atherton

Food prices will rise without access to non-UK EU workers, warned 32 food and drink organisations, including the Food and Drink Federation and the British Retail Consortium.

GMO production could become legal in the UK after Brexit

GMO law change will lead to glut of imports

By Rick Pendrous

Any deregulation of food made with genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) in the UK after Brexit is likely to result in a huge rise in imports of GM products from Asia and the Americas, a technical expert has warned.

Welcome to next month's news

Next Month’s News: our podcast preview

By Matt Atherton

Welcome to Next Month’s News, the latest edition in Food Manufacture Group’s new podcast series predicting what topics will dominate our headlines over the next four weeks.

Five options could determine the UK's trading relationship with the EU

Brexit impact

Five trade options for life after Brexit: AHDB

By Michelle Perrett

Five possible scenarios could determine the future of the UK food and drink sector’s trading relationship with the EU after Brexit, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

The new PM's in tray already includes a letter from the FDF

FDF sends new PM a food industry wish list

By Michael Stones

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has added to the Prime Minister (PM) Theresa May’s in tray with a four-point wish list to maintain the competitiveness of UK food and drink manufacturing.

The FDF has launched a six-point Brexit manifesto

Brexit impact

FDF launches six-step manifesto to ease Brexit

By Michael Stones

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has launched a six-step manifesto to help Britain’s biggest manufacturing sector cope with Brexit – the “UK’s most significant peacetime challenge ever”, according to its director general Ian Wright.

A UK trade deal with the EU could be frustrated by 'east European vested interests'

Brexit impact

EU trade deal to be delayed by ‘east Europeans’

By Michael Stones

The vested interests of east European Member States will delay and frustrate the UK’s bid to conclude a swift trade deal with the EU, an EU insider told a meeting organised by the Provision Trade Federation (PTF) yesterday (June 28).

Food and drink manufacturers are coming to terms with the decisive vote for Brexit

Brexit impact

It’s Brexit: UK votes to leave EU in historic decision

By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturers are coming to terms with the decision to leave the EU, after voters decided decisively in favour of Brexit, ending the nation’s 43 year membership of the union.

Here's what Brexit could mean for food and drink manufacturers

Brexit Exclusive

Brexit: what it means for food and drink manufacturers

By Michael Stones

As food and drink manufacturers study the impact of British voters’ historic decision to quit the EU, we explore how the vote may impact on the sector’s prosperity, based on the predictions of two leading campaigners – on either side of the argument –...

Spotlight

Chief executive Chris Ormrod will continue to head up the business. Credit: Cakesmiths Cakesmiths to become part of rebranded Onore Food Group The impacted batch of stuffing mix has now been taken out of circulation. Credit: Getty / DronG Tesco recalls stuffing mix because of possible presence of moths The Food and drink industry is the four fastest adopter of AI tech in the UK. Image: Getty, Da-Kuk Food industry fourth fastest adopter of AI tech in UK Cold store workers have previously suffered from serious injuries such as frostbite. Credit: Getty / bluecinema New guidance issued to protect food workers in extreme cold conditions The manufacturer installed solar panels at its facility as part of the project. Credit: Beacon Foods Beacon Foods completes £6m expansion project, installs 1,428 solar panels

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