The UK should pursue a deeper trading relationship with the European Union as the most effective way to stimulate economic growth, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said, raising fresh questions over the government’s longer-term approach to post-Brexit trade. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview , Streeting described the UK’s current level of taxation as “uncomfortable” and argued that Britain had taken a “massive economic hit” since leaving the EU, particularly as a result

Retail prices for Brussels sprouts in the UK have fallen below 2019 levels, highlighting a sharp drop in consumer demand for the traditional festive vegetable, according to a report published in the Financial Times . Growers say consumption has declined significantly, even during the key Christmas trading period when sprouts would normally enjoy peak sales. “We don’t grow many these days . . . they don’t sell like they used to,” explained Mark Abraham, manager of Crossways Fa

The UK fresh produce sector is set to benefit from a new supply opportunity following the launch of a pilot export of apple mangoes from Kenya to the United Kingdom. Image: Kenya Airways The inaugural consignment marks the first time the distinctive apple mango variety has been shipped to the UK on a trial basis, with the move designed to test market readiness and logistics while assessing long-term commercial potential. Apple mangoes, which are known for their sweet flavour,

Britain’s largest vertical farming operator, GrowUp Farms Limited, has been bought out of administration through a pre-packaged sale arranged by its former chief executive, sources including The Grocer have reported. Image: GrowUp Farms The parent company, GrowUp Group Ltd, entered administration on 16 December after appointing insolvency specialists Interpath to find a way forward for the business amid mounting financial pressures. Marcus Whately, who led the business for si

The government has launched a new board, including representatives from the horticulture and fresh produce sectors, that aims to put growers at the heart of UK food policy in an initial response to 57 report recommendations laid out by ex-NFU president Baroness Minette Batters. With UK businesses struggling and domestic food security hanging in the balance, the Farming and Food Partnership Board aims to drive growth, productivity, and profitability through greater supply chai

Lincolnshire grower G H Hoyles has harvested what is believed to be the world’s most northern commercial olive crop, marking a bold, successful example in adapting agriculture to a changing climate in the UK.  Image: The English Olive Co. The Hoyles family has been farming conventional crops in the Lincolnshire Fens for over 250 years, producing potatoes, peas, wheat, sugar beet, and mustard for local co-operatives and supermarkets.  Now that warmer weather has made it viable

With no replacement programme in the pipeline, Defra Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle has confirmed the legacy EU programme in England will cease at the end of this month after only reaching a “minority of growers”. Despite some estimates reportedly suggesting that up to 50% of the UK’s fresh produce supply was produced under the support scheme, legislation passed in July 2023 permanently closes the so-called legacy EU programme on 31 December 2025. Although still committed

The cost of food remains stubbornly high in the UK although inflation has dropped to its lowest level for eight months on the back of easing prices for food, alcohol, and clothing. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell to 3.2% in the 12 months to November, down from 3.6%, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) . With inflation now seen to have peaked, the figure marks the lowest level since March and a bigger fall than the 3.5% than economists an

DP World and Thames Freeport have started construction on ‘The Hive’, a new multi-million innovation and wellbeing hub located at London Gateway Logistics Park that will provide a central facility for skills, community connection, and collaboration across the Thames Freeport area. Image: DP World Opening in March 2026, The Hive will be a 29,000 sq. ft. centre featuring flexible meeting rooms, a dedicated training and innovation centre, a state-of-the-art gym, two sports pitch

The expansion of high-speed broadband across rural Britain is set to gather further momentum in 2026, as a combination of government-backed infrastructure programmes and private sector investment continues to close the long-standing digital divide between urban and rural communities. By the end of 2026, the majority of UK premises are expected to be able to access gigabit-capable broadband , with rural areas increasingly benefiting from full-fibre deployment, fixed wireless a

If you’ve ever filled your plate with tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens and lentils and thought “this feels good for me,” you’re not alone — and science backs you up. A large body of research on Mediterranean-style eating shows that diets rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and healthy oils are consistently linked with a lower risk of developing certain cancers, especially when compared with diets high in processed foods and red meat. The Mediterranean diet

M&S has partnered with Suffolk-based Home Farm Nacton, based on the historic Orwell Park Estate, to bring customers across the UK new variety celebration potatoes for the festive season. Available in over 200 M&S stores nationwide from this week, celebration potatoes have a distinctive skin pattern and buttery golden flesh to deliver a rich, nutty flavour perfect for roasting, boiling or for salads. Home Farm Nacton grows 26 different types of produce, including celebration p

One in five households in the UK placed at least one online grocery order in recent months, according to new data reported by The Grocer , underlining how digital food shopping continues to embed itself into everyday consumer behaviour. The figures highlight the growing appeal of online grocery shopping, driven primarily by convenience, time-saving benefits and the availability of promotions. Younger shoppers, in particular, are increasingly comfortable using apps and digital

If 2025 was the year diners discovered artisanal grazing boards and social media couldn’t get enough of ‘girl dinner’ spreads and stacked charcuterie facts, then 2026 looks set to elevate that laid-back feast into something much bigger: Fresh Produce Grazing — where fresh fruit, vibrant veg, pulses and artisan produce take centre stage on grazing bars and tables everywhere. This isn’t just about Instagram-worthy displays any more. It’s about culinary trend cycles colliding wi

Fyffes has published its 2024 Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence Report, marking the fourth consecutive year the company has reported on its approach to responsible business practices across its global operations and supply chain. Image courtesy of Fyffes Released to coincide with World Human Rights Day on 12 December, the report outlines progress made during 2024, alongside the challenges and priorities facing the business as it continues to embed human rights and

With similar work in the pipeline for fresh produce, Defra’s launch of a consultation into unfair practices in the combinable crops supply chain signals the potential direction of travel for the UK horticulture sector on contract fairness. Following a review into supply chain fairness, Defra’s combinable crops consultation  focuses on how contracts in the arable supply chain are structured, where risk currently sits, and how to improve fairness and transparency between grower

Over the next decade, UK retailers expect AI to transform the retail workforce and productivity, particularly operational and routine activities, although legacy systems and skills gaps remain major constraints, according to a new report.  Image: Lidl GB Almost three-fifths of retail tasks could be either automated or human‑assisted by AI by 2035, found the Retail Workforce Reimagined research , carried out by Retail Economics and law firm Eversheds Sutherland. With many majo

Convenience retailer Co-op will require all UK-grown fresh fruits and vegetables to be LEAF-Marque certified by January 2027 in an effort to improve sustainability across its fresh produce supply chain.  Image: Co-op The roll-out of the sustainable farming standard will take place throughout next year in partnership with British growers and farmers, according to a press release from the retailer. The widely recognised environmental certification includes practices that promot

In a game-changing development for UK horticulture, the TomatoGuard project has demonstrated that AI sensors can pick up stress signatures in protected tomato crops before visible symptoms, paving the way for earlier, more accurate IPM interventions, and lower pesticide inputs. Image: Image: UK Agri‑Tech Centre Funded by Innovate UK, TomatoGuard ’s AI ‘digital nose’ platform was deployed in UK tomato glasshouse production to detect pest and stress problems, such as spider mit

Supported by CrowdFarming, innocent drinks, and Riverford Organic Farmers, the UK regenerative farming platform is expanding into Spain as part of a wider European programme to accelerate climate resilience across the region’s key food growing areas. Image: Soil Association Exchange Initially, Soil Association Exchange, in partnership with the three major UK food brands, will work with eight farms across Murcia, Valencia, Andalusia, Aragon, and Catalonia. One of the first is