Co-op is once again the first UK retailer to move to 100% British strawberries this season, with homegrown fruit arriving in stores this week ahead of St George’s Day and a broader seasonal rollout to follow. The convenience retailer said in a press release that the move marks the fourth year in a row that it has led the market on British strawberries, underlining its support for domestic growers and seasonal produce. Co-op said it began selling British strawberries on 16 Ma

DP World has launched a new carbon inset scheme at its Southampton terminal, allowing customers to claim a share of emissions reductions generated at the port towards their own supply chain targets for the first time. The new Container Terminal Inset Certificates are created through emissions reductions at Southampton, where the use of biofuels, such as HVO, port-wide electrification and the generation of renewable electricity has resulted in significant carbon savings. These

A fresh warning over tomato supplies has exposed a stark reality facing the UK food chain, with rising costs and fragile supply lines combining to push prices higher and availability under pressure. Industry voices are cautioning that what may appear as a simple shortage on supermarket shelves is, in fact, a symptom of deeper structural challenges—ones that could soon be reflected more sharply in consumers’ weekly shop. At the heart of the issue is the cost of production. Tom

A not-for-profit initiative in Oxfordshire is helping to reshape local food supply chains, with growing momentum behind calls for more market gardens to meet rising demand for locally produced fruit and vegetables. OxFarmToFork, led by Good Food Oxfordshire, has revealed that less than 1% of produce grown in the county is currently consumed locally – highlighting a significant opportunity for expansion. Since launching in 2023, the project has built what its 2025 impact repor

A renewed push by the UK government to strengthen ties with the EU is raising fresh questions for food trade and regulatory alignment, following a BBC interview with Europe editor, Katya Adler. In the BBC analysis, ministers set out a more “pragmatic” approach to rebuilding relations with Brussels, signalling a shift in tone as both sides explore ways to improve cooperation in key areas. Discussions are already under way on a series of sector-specific agreements, including fo

The UK berry season is now moving up a gear, with April delivering the significant uplift in volumes that the industry has been building towards since early spring. At leading soft fruit supplier S&A Produce, the first strawberries of the season began developing early, with picking getting underway on 4 March. Since then, volumes have been rising steadily—and as expected, April is now seeing a tenfold increase compared to March , marking a key turning point in the domestic se

Freshfel Europe has set out an ambitious roadmap for the future of the fresh produce sector, marking a moment of transition and renewed direction at its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sicily. Frédéric Roseneu Freshfel Europe President with Philippe Binard, General Delegate. Image: Freshfel Europe Held in Giardini Naxos on 15–16 April, the AGM also saw Frédéric Rosseneu (Greenyard) appointed as the association’s new President for the 2026–2028 term, succeeding Salvo Laud

Ministers have rejected calls to give farmers and food businesses more time to prepare for a future UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal, raising concerns over how the sector will cope with potentially disruptive changes. The government confirmed it will not pursue a transition period ahead of new arrangements expected from mid-2027, despite warnings that many businesses are already under pressure and may struggle to adapt. MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affair

UK households are facing a sharp rise in the cost of their weekly shop, with new figures suggesting families could be paying an extra £470 a year for groceries as food price inflation remains persistently high. According to data highlighted in a report by the Manchester Evening News , the average annual grocery bill has climbed significantly, reaching around £5,617. The increase reflects continued pressure on household budgets despite wider inflation easing in other areas of

Marks & Spencer has reduced prices across a range of everyday vegetables and expanded its value offering, as the retailer responds to growing demand from families seeking healthier food at affordable prices. The move sees prices cut on 19 vegetable staples, while 22 everyday lines have been added to its value ranges in a bid to attract more regular weekly shoppers. Key products affected include household staples such as mushrooms, carrots, leeks, cabbage, courgettes and Tende

The UK is preparing for a possible worst-case disruption to food supplies if the Iran war drags on, as the FAO warns of a “global agrifood catastrophe” if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed blocking key inputs. UK government officials are reportedly modelling a scenario in which the Strait of Hormuz standoff continues and carbon dioxide (CO2) supplies are badly hit, affecting the farming, food production, and hospitality sectors in particular. The immediate risk is less ab

The UK grocery sector continues to show strong compliance with the Groceries Code, although a small rise in supplier complaints suggests pressure points remain in parts of the supply chain, according to annual survey results. The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) 2026 survey shows that the number of suppliers reporting at least one Code issue rose from 30% to 32% over the past 12 months. Nonetheless, more than half of respondents said they had experienced no issues when suppl

Some £50 million has been pledged by the UK government to speed up the rollout of cutting-edge farm technologies, with up to 12 agritech tools from robotics to AI designed to help increase productivity while cutting labour, energy, and fertiliser use. Delivered through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme with Innovate UK, the funding is aimed at getting practical, proven precision and biological technologies into farmers’ hands sooner to improve animal and crop health, cut

The UK fresh produce sector has joined forces under a new collaborative initiative to coordinate the transition to peat-free horticulture and accelerate sustainable growing practices. The newly launched Peat-Free Pathway provides an umbrella framework to align research, innovation, and delivery across horticultural supply chains, according to a press release from British Growers. The move has been welcomed by industry groups including the Soil Association, Growing Media Asso

The UK’s growth outlook has been slashed again, with the IMF now expecting the economy to expand by just 0.8% in 2026 and inflation to be higher than expected as the Iran war fuels the risk of a global recession. The new economic forecast is down from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) previous 1.3% estimate for the UK, marking the sharpest downgrade among major advanced economies. It points to a weaker year for the UK economy than previously expected, with the IMF sayin

Tesco and Aldi were the leading retail outlets for British apple sales in March 2026, followed by Lidl, as the discounters continue to outperform their overall grocery market share when it comes to domestic apple sourcing. Tesco sold about 4,500 tonnes of British apples last month, according to the latest monthly supermarket sales data from British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL). The UK’s leading supermarket accounted for around 22% of British apple sales, compared with its

The Port of Dover has announced it has achieved its ambitious goal of carbon net zero emissions (Scope 1 and 2) for 2025, at least five years ahead of any other UK port target, and 25 years ahead of the UK Government’s maritime target. Image: Port of Dover Its emissions for Scope 1 and 2 have fallen by a huge 98.3% from 2007, with residual emissions being offset through a local regenerative farming scheme issued under the UK Carbon Code of Conduct. Today’s announcement comes

A shortage of cornichons has begun to disrupt parts of the UK’s food-to-go sector, with sandwich shops facing supply challenges and menu gaps as a result. The issue has been most visible at Pret A Manger, where its popular jambon beurre has temporarily disappeared from shelves in many stores. The French-inspired sandwich, made with ham, butter and the distinctive sharp crunch of cornichons, has been pulled due to difficulties sourcing the pickled cucumbers. Pret confirmed the

The latest wholesale data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reveals a broadly stable UK fruit market, with modest price fluctuations across key apple varieties and little movement in pears. Figures for the week ending 13 April 2026 show that average apple prices remain relatively consistent overall, despite some variation at varietal level. Among the leading lines, Cox’s Orange Group apples recorded a slight increase, with average prices risi