NewsHound
Jamie Oliver and David Cameron are on to something: The latest Top 100 Grocery Brands 2005 confirms that the fastest growing grocery brands in the UK are those that claim health benefits. Products such as juices and probiotic yoghurts are leading the trend. Danone’s Actimel and Activa brands showed particularly impressive growth.
A recent report showed that more than half of British shoppers care about the green credentials of what they buy and many businesses are realizing that going green is a commercial no brainer. The supermarkets have latched onto the trend: Tesco has promised to cut emissions from its distribution lorries, Morrisons has launched a bioethanol fuel pump and most significantly of all, Asda has pledged to stop sending waste to landfill sites by 2010.
Tetra-Pak are working with local councils to address the issue of recycling their packaging and in addition are sponsors of the Environmental Award at the annual Food Industry Awards. In 2006 this was won by Jordans Cereals whose integration of environmental stewardship in its supply chain has put more than 60,000 acres of British farmland back into environmental working order.
Fife Council have just approved planning for a biodiesel factory at Rosyth, with an annual potential to handle 250,000 tonnes of oilseed rape and Craig Sams, the organic pioneer, who recently sold Green & Blacks to Cadbury Schweppes claims that Cadburys have fully embraced the organic ethos.
Sales of organic food are rising at the rate of £7m a week and a quarter of Tesco customers buy at least one organic product on each visit. Disney has announced an end to its association with junk food and from now on will only promote foods meeting specific guidelines, including limits on calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar.
Cargill Refined Oils Europe has launched a new range of frying oils designed to help food makers cut levels of trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids. The range, marketed under the brand name Dufry, targets growing consumer concern and regulatory interest in the fat content of food products. Marks & Spencer has already stopped using hydrogenated vegetable fats - which can contain trans fats - in its food production. Tesco says it is 'working hard' to remove hydrogenated fat from its own-brand products by the end of this year while Sainsbury's will have phased out trans fats from all 15,000 own-brand lines by the start of January.
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