The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has issued a robust call to members of the House of Lords to “stand firm” as the Employment Rights Bill heads into its next stage of parliamentary scrutiny. The industry body emphasises that the Bill — poised to be implemented at the end of the year — encompasses far-reaching provisions, including changes to paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, statutory sick pay and enhancements to employee protections covering whistle-blowing and sexua

Discounters Lidl and Aldi are out-pacing their full-price grocery rivals in sourcing British fruit for the current season, according to figures published by trade title The Grocer. The report reveals that both chains have significantly bolstered their volumes of UK-grown fruit, enabling them to “lead the way” in the category. Data from British Apples & Pears Limited indicates that during the first half of the 2024/25 apple and pear season, both retailers’ shares of British pr

In a significant development for the British soft fruit sector, The Summer Berry Company has ramped up production to supply fresh British strawberries year-round, meaning consumers could be picking up home-grown berries this Christmas. Image courtesy of The Summer Berry Company Traditionally, the UK strawberry season would taper off in late autumn, with retailer shelves restocked by imports from countries such as Egypt or Jordan between November and March. However, The Summer

Tanzania has announced the launch of a new fresh fruit, vegetable, and flower trade show that will take place annually in Arusha. The event, named Horti Logistica Africa, is organised by the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) in partnership with the government. Horti Logistica Africa is planned as a continental professional trade fair focused on the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain. It is scheduled to debut in June 2026 and will be held every November thereafter.

UK crop science is heralding a historic milestone for scientists, plant breeders, and growers to use precision breeding techniques such as gene editing to improve productivity, climate resilience, and sustainability under new regulatory framework now in force. The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 for plants in England came into effect on 13 November. It replaces previous rules inherited from the EU and distinguishes precision-bred organisms (PBOs) from traditi

South Africa is looking forward to a positive stonefruit campaign in 2025/26 with exports set to rise by 6% following breakthroughs in addressing issues which have curbed the sector’s progress in recent years. Image: Hortgro Optimistic growers expect increased production across most regions after favourable weather with “desirable” fruit set and fruit quality, according to industry body Hortgro. Supply is forecast to be “healthy and balanced” across all stone fruit categories

Frozen fruits and vegetables are driving a resurgence in frozen food purchasing, with shoppers increasingly won over by the category’s growing value, quality, and variety, coupled with its convenience, nutrition, and sustainability, according to a new report. Ocado Retail has reported an 18% year-on-year rise in sales of frozen product, with almost half of UK adults (47%) buying more frozen items than a year ago, particularly younger consumers.  Key growth areas include froze

The UK Autumn Budget has the potential to shape logistics investment plans and supply chain initiatives into next year as businesses await decisions on fuel duty, employment costs, and business rates. Road transport, warehousing, ports, and freight forwarding firms will have all eyes on the Chancellor when she delivers her next Budget statement on 26 November, and how it may squeeze their already tight profit margins. While the Budget potentially offers incentives for investm

British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has entered into a partnership with Oxbury Bank to deliver specialised financial solutions for British topfruit growers in a bid to support long-term investment in the sector and increase domestic supply.  The collaboration is designed to support UK orchard planting and investment in equipment, in line with BAPL’s target for 60% of apples sold in the UK to be domestically produced by 2035. The tailored financial products are intended to r

Pub company Marston’s has pioneered a hospitality training academy inside a women’s prison in Cheshire to provide offenders with the skills and confidence to secure meaningful employment opportunities after their release. Image: Marston's Named the ‘Hope & Anchor’, the UK’s first commercially-led hospitality academy will support and train up to 32 women each year for Line Chef roles at HMP Styal. The recruits will gain hands-on experience within a purpose-built kitchen and re

UK retailers and suppliers are facing mounting operational pressures as the cost of doing business continues to rise. From packaging and raw materials to labour and wage increases, the knock-on effects are filtering down the supply chain — and ultimately to the checkout. Prices are climbing, and in today’s uncertain economic climate, “value” has become the watchword for both businesses and consumers. Despite the squeeze, shoppers are not abandoning quality. Retailers report t

The Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) has announced the appointment of Robert McAuliffe (known as Rob) as its new General Manager. He officially stepped into the role on 11 November 2025, following the departure of Jo Breare, who concluded her 17-year tenure with CGMA at the end of October. Image courtesy of CGMA Prior to his appointment, Rob held the position of Head of Interface Management at The Arch Company, a private-equity joint venture portfolio valued at around £1

An audit conducted in August 2025 by British Berry Growers (BBG), representing around 95% of UK berry producers, reveals a sharply divided industry — with some growers showing renewed optimism, while others contend with mounting pressure. Key findings show that 34% of growers are considering reducing or exiting berry production entirely. Meanwhile, just 48% report making a profit and only 39% expect to remain profitable in 2026. A substantial 43% describe their financial hea

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the clearest indication yet that the Labour government may abandon its election manifesto commitment not to raise taxes on working people — a major shift ahead of the budget scheduled for 26 November. Reeves told the BBC that adhering strictly to the manifesto pledge — which covers income tax, national insurance and VAT — would force “deep cuts” to capital spending . Given the state of public finances and a downgraded productivity outloo

The latest data from the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) indicates a modest yet meaningful rise in apple and pear production forecast for the 2025/26 season across Europe. The revised figures suggest apples are approaching 11 million tonnes, while pears are also set to increase. Key Figures Apple production is projected to reach nearly 11 million tonnes in the European region under WAPA’s revised outlook. Pear production is also expected to rise, though specific volu

With around six months to go until the next Senedd Cymru election, farmers across Wales have joined forces to urge political parties to back a bold “farm-to-fork” strategy — a plan that would connect food production, processing, and retail under a single, cohesive vision. Image: ITV News Farmers gathered this week to highlight the importance of putting the entire food chain — not just farming — at the heart of government policy. As covered by ITV News , the meeting brought to

A proposal to ban plastic packaging on fruit and vegetables weighing under 1.5kg could have unintended consequences for food waste, a Welsh minister has cautioned. Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies issued the warning in response to a call from independent Senedd member Rhys ab Owen, who urged ministers to make all retailers sell smaller quantities of produce loose to help cut plastic waste. Ab Owen told the Senedd that “plastic packaging, very often, is entirely wastef

Waitrose has unveiled a new chapter in food retail with the opening of its first “Home of Food Lovers” concept store in Newbury. Designed as a flagship site for innovation, the 27,000 sq ft store marks the start of a new era in how the retailer presents, manages and celebrates fresh produce. A Fresh Take on Fresh Produce At the heart of the new concept is a completely reimagined fresh produce department that celebrates quality, sustainability and provenance. The area has been

LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) has launched version 17.0 of its LEAF Marque Standard to strengthen the application of the internationally recognised environmental assurance scheme across diverse farming contexts around the world as adoption grows.  Image: LEAF The updates, which come into effect on 5 May 2026, aim to better support producers in addressing some of the most pressing sustainability challenges within global food and farming systems amid ongoing sector cha

Bakkavor, Greencore, and Samworth Brothers are among six food manufacturers to develop with IGD a new Food Supply Chain Sustainability Framework to drive collaborative progress against seven shared priorities relevant to retailers, manufacturers, and their suppliers. With food supply chain sustainability a “critical imperative”, the framework offers best practice and guidance to better integrate sustainability into businesses, according to IGD (Institute of Grocery Distributi