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£1.9bn Opportunity To Expand Homegrown Fruits And Vegetables
Raising domestic horticulture production to replace half of the fruits and vegetables imported by the UK could return national food self-sufficiency to levels last seen in 2000, and generate £1.9 billion for British producers, according to new analysis from Green Alliance. The report estimates that a major expansion of homegrown fresh produce could boost the UK to 66% self-sufficiency in fruits and vegetables, and only require an additional 46,509 hectares of horticultural pr
British Berry Growers Urge Long-Term Water Management Approach
Investment in water storage and efficiency is helping many UK berry growers maintain production through this year’s exceptionally hot and dry summer, but the industry says more needs to be done to enable businesses to prepare for future weather extremes. British Berry Growers (BBG), which represents around 95% of the UK’s commercial berry growers, says investment in on-farm reservoirs, rainwater storage, and water-efficient production systems has strengthened the sector’s abi
Fierce Supermarket Competition Keeps Lid On UK Food Inflation
Expectations of a sharp acceleration in UK food inflation following the latest surge in energy costs have so far failed to materialise, with intense supermarket competition and tighter cost management helping retailers and suppliers to absorb much of the pressure. The food industry warned earlier this year that higher energy costs linked to the conflict in Iran could drive food price inflation up to 10% by Christmas. Instead, annual inflation for food and non-alcoholic bever
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Fresh Produce Supply Chains Gain a Voice as Government Names Logistics Minister
Britain’s fresh produce and food supply chains could gain a stronger voice at the heart of government following the formal addition of logistics to a Department for Transport ministerial portfolio. Keir Mather MP has become Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Aviation, Maritime and Logistics, giving the sector an explicitly named minister after years of lobbying by freight and transport organisations. Although logistics already fell partly within Mather’s responsibilit
UK Growers Slash Peat Use as One in Three Achieves Peat-Free Production
UK plant growers have cut peat use by more than 60 per cent in four years, although the horticulture industry has warned that completing the transition will be more technically and commercially challenging. Peat accounted for 21.8 per cent of the growing media used by professional growers during 2025, falling sharply from 34.4 per cent in 2024 and 39.5 per cent in 2023. The figure stood at 56 per cent in 2021. The Horticultural Trades Association’s Growers’ Growing Media Usag
UK Becomes Third-Largest Market for Colombian Fresh Fruit
The United Kingdom has emerged as the world’s third-largest destination for Colombian fresh fruit, as the South American country strengthens its reputation beyond its traditionally dominant banana trade. Colombian fresh fruit exports to the UK reached £28.3 (US$38.2) million in 2025, representing a 26.3 per cent increase in value, according to figures highlighted by ProColombia. Only the Netherlands and the United States ranked higher. Alejandro Jaramillo Gómez, commercial at
Ocado Takes British Technology Global to Deliver Smarter, Greener Grocery Shopping
Ocado Group has opened its first fully automated customer fulfilment centre (CFC) in South Korea, a milestone that underlines the pace of the technology group's international growth. The site, ZETTA Smartcentre Busan, was launched this month with Lotte Shopping, one of Korea's largest retailers, and will serve a catchment of around four million households across Busan and the wider Yeongnam region. It is expected to create roughly 2,000 jobs locally. The facility showcases so
Claire Donovan to take helm at British Apples & Pears
British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has appointed Claire Donovan as its next executive chair, marking a significant leadership change for the organisation representing the UK’s commercial apple and pear growers. As reported by The Grocer, Donovan will join BAPL on 1 September 2026 and work alongside current executive chair Ali Capper during a planned two-month transition. She will formally take up the position on 4 November. The appointment follows a comprehensive recruitme
Labour MPs Urge Water Rule Overhaul As Drought Threatens UK Harvests
Labour MPs are pressing Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s Government to relax water and planning restrictions to help farmers and growers cope with one of the most damaging droughts in decades. In a letter to Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle, the MPs called for greater flexibility over water abstraction licences, a faster planning process for farm reservoirs and targeted financial support for agricultural businesses repeatedly affected by drought. The intervention comes as
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