Annual food price inflation in the UK cooled to 3.7% in October, down from 4.2% in September, according to the latest data released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and research partner NielsenIQ. While this marks a welcome deceleration, the picture remains mixed across food sub-categories. Fresh food inflation picked up to 4.3% in October (from 4.1% in September), indicating that produce and perishables continue to face upward pressure. In contrast, ambient food infl

A delegation of International Trade Centre-vetted Jamaican digital service providers, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) under the UK Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme, will visit London from 10–14 November 2025 to connect with UK scale-ups and SMEs seeking cost-effective, high-quality tech partners. The firms specialise in software development, AI, cybersecurity, cloud transformation, and customer experience solutions, offering flexible, rig

Scotland’s potato sector stands at a pivotal moment, as growers and exporters grapple with pressures ranging from rising costs to trade disruptions, while concurrently embracing technological innovation and global market strategies. Producing around one million tonnes annually, Scottish potato growers are renowned for high-grade seed potato exports. Key factors underpinning this reputation include rigorous disease-control regimes and the country’s cool growing conditions, whi

Sysco GB and Meals & More have teamed up to brief parliamentarians on the growing child food poverty crisis facing the UK, and to call on the Government for further support. Image: Sysco The Tackling Food Poverty event, which took place on 22 October, saw MPs, Lords and Westminster colleagues hear about the progress being made to end holiday hunger and the significant hurdles that still need to be overcome. Ahead of the November budget, it provided the opportunity to talk t

Veryan Bliss has been appointed as Chair of the Red Tractor Assurance Scheme Fresh Produce Sector Board, the organisation announced on 27 October 2025. Ms Bliss will also join the Red Tractor Board of Directors, working to shape strategic priorities across the scheme’s fresh produce supply-chain assurance operations. With more than three decades of experience across global fresh produce supply chains, Ms Bliss brings deep expertise in growing, packing, technical assurance, in

As Chancellor Rachel Reeves readies the next Budget, major UK retailers are warning that any further tax rises or new business-rates surcharges could reignite food inflation just as consumers begin to breathe easier. In a letter coordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), supermarket groups have urged the Treasury to reconsider plans for a business-rates “surtax” on properties with a rateable value over £500,000, saying the move would risk pushing prices higher. The B

A significant proportion — 34% — of British berry growers are contemplating either scaling back operations or leaving the sector altogether, according to a recent audit by British Berry Growers (BBG). The audit highlights a stark reality: only 48% of growers report they are currently making a profit. Rising production costs — in labour, energy, packaging and transport — are placing heavy strain on the sector. BBG’s data suggests that if these trends continue, up to 40% of gro

Global shipping and logistics group CMA CGM has announced the acquisition of Freightliner UK, one of the country’s leading rail and road freight operators, in a move designed to strengthen its intermodal logistics capabilities across the UK. Image: Freightliner Group Under the agreement, Freightliner’s UK rail business and inland terminals will become part of the CMA CGM Group but continue to operate as a standalone entity. The company’s heavy haul divisions in Poland and Ge

The British public is more positive about UK agriculture in 2025 than at any point in the last seven years, and sentiment remains strong for domestic fruit and vegetable production, according to the latest AHDB/Blue Marble trust study published this week. Despite ongoing concerns about the cost of living, trust in farmers and interest in food production have reached new heights, with more than half of shoppers likely to actively seek out British food and produce rather than i

An innovative project has been launched to raise awareness and understanding of mental health in UK agriculture through a Virtual Reality (VR) educational experience that highlights the unique lived experiences of farmers and rural workers, with the aim of better supporting those in need. Developed by three Suffolk doctors in collaboration with Cambridge-based creative technology company Revolve Labs, the Rural Minds Project is designed to address the growing mental health cr

DP World has taken a major step forward in the digitalisation and automation of its port operations by investing £170 million in groundbreaking container handling technology at its London Gateway logistics hub that will increase reliability, efficiency, capacity, and safety.  Image: DP World Developed by BOXBAY, a joint venture between DP World and Germany’s SMS group, the new Empty Superstack system represents a revolutionary approach to handling empty containers, according

New data shows that millions of people across the UK are still facing food insecurity and families are sacrificing nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables because of financial concerns, leading to calls for the government to commit to halving UK food insecurity in its upcoming Child Poverty Strategy.  The Roadmap to Reducing Food Insecurity in the UK report , from influential national charity The Food Foundation, indicates that food insecurity in the UK has remained stubb

The UK’s leading crop science organisation has announced a hybrid event for its 2025 Soft Fruit Day to share both in person and online its latest developments in pest management, post-harvest quality, resource use efficiency, and the new soft fruit genetic improvement network project. Taking place on Wednesday 3 December the annual event will feature three key sessions for up to 60 people to attend in person at Niab’s East Malling site in Kent, or for others to follow online

The retailer will become the first large supermarket group in the UK to introduce digital shelf edge labelling across its entire supermarket estate when the technology rolls out in early 2026. Image: Morrisons Morrisons plans to digitise pricing across all 497 stores through a partnership with French tech company VusionGroup, which will install over 10.8 million electronic shelf labels (ESLs) throughout its store network. By eliminating traditional paper labels, the ESLs will

In a significant move that reflects the mounting pressures on households and employers alike, the voluntary “real living wage” set by the Living Wage Foundation will rise by 6.7 % nationally to £13.45 per hour and by 6.9 % in London to £14.80 per hour from next year. According to a report by the Financial Times , the increase directly affects approximately half a million workers across more than 16,000 accredited employers — spanning sectors from retail to leisure. Beyond thi

A new collaboration between leading UK organisations is set to transform agricultural production by driving forward robotic harvesting and automation technologies. Under the guidance of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Upcycled Plant Power (UPP) and S&A Produce (UK) Ltd have joined forces as part of the Innovate UK AgriScale Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Programme. The initiative aims to speed up the adoption of autonomous agricultural systems to help tackle labour

UK meal-kit provider Gousto has reported a marked increase in sales after expanding its next-day delivery service — a strategic shift it describes as a “major milestone”. Image: Gousto The company’s latest update confirms that as it broadened next-day delivery availability , it saw higher customer acquisition and retention, signalling that faster fulfilment is resonating with consumers. Gousto says this expansion sits at the heart of its ambition to “challenge the supermarket

A proposed landmark agreement to regulate and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in the shipping industry has been significantly delayed, following concerted opposition from International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states led by the United States and Saudi Arabia. The motion put forward by Saudi Arabia to postpone negotiations for one year secured a majority, effectively putting on hold the industry's first global carbon-pricing mechanism. The deal—initially widely expec

The UK’s orchard industry faces a precarious future, with escalating pressures from housing developments, rising costs and land-use competition threatening the viability of top-fruit production. A newly released report by the sustainability charity Forum for the Future , in collaboration with industry stakeholders, reveals that more than half of all orchards in England and Wales have been lost, largely as a result of competing land-use priorities such as new housing. Key Chal

The James Hutton Institute has secured five years of new funding to develop blackcurrant varieties specifically suited to the UK’s fresh fruit market, marking a significant step towards diversifying one of Britain’s most iconic crops. Image: The James Hutton Institute For decades, the vast majority of blackcurrants grown in the UK have been cultivated for processing — primarily for juices, jams and cordials. The Hutton’s latest initiative aims to broaden that scope by creatin