Industry News

Despite experiencing a fall in takeaway coffee sales of £250,000 after its decision to ban single-use coffee cups – reportedly the first coffee shop chain in the UK to do so – Bristol-based Boston Tea Party (BTP) has called on big business to follow suit.

Pukka Herbs is working with the University of Southampton on a clinical trial to test whether the herbal remedy Andrographis could be used as an alternative to antibiotics.

This month saw the launch of Health & Her, a new online information and shopping portal focusing on female health, specifically the menopause.

Joining Aldi, Asda, Morrisons and Tesco in their pursuit to stop wasting ‘wonky veg’, discounter Lidl has created a line of bargain boxes containing fruit and vegetables which are ‘slightly damaged, discoloured or deteriorated but are still perfectly good to eat’.

The 18th Award for Responsible Capitalism has been presented to Guy Singh-Watson by publishing group First, in a ceremony attended by HRH Princess Anne. But the decision to accept the award, says the Riverford Organic’s founder, was ‘a difficult one’.

The chief executive of the Soil Association, Helen Browning, has written an open letter to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, highlighting the negative impact already being caused to UK organic exporting businesses by Brexit uncertainty.

Health food retailers, brand-owners and campaigners in Ireland have been celebrating a decision to defer the imposition a new 23% VAT rate on food supplements.

Peter Aldis is stepping down as chief executive of leading health food retailer Holland & Barrett International with immediate effect after ten years in the top job and 29 years at the company. 

Following the The Veganuary Road Trip 2019 – a collaboration between non-profit organization Veganuary, frozen vegan pizza brand One Planet Pizza and the National Association of Health Stores (NAHS) – independent retailers and consumers alike have spoken out about the impact of the campaign.

Growing concern about the presence of fatbergs in the UK’s sewers, along with mounting plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, has led organic personal hygiene brand Natracare to develop and launch what it says is Europe’s ‘first truly flushable' moist tissue wipe.

A report published by Food Supplements Europe (FSE) has identified supplementation as a cost-effective policy to bridge gaps in nutrition and potentially delivery valuable health cost savings.

The Government has set out plans to ‘overhaul’ the UK’s waste system, launching a series of consultations which will aim to cut plastic pollution and move towards ‘a more circular economy’.

According to Soil Association Certification’s Organic Beauty & Wellbeing Market 2019 report, sustainable shoppers have driven the market for certified organic and natural beauty products to an all-time high with a 14% rise in sales in 2018.

The global organic dairy market is predicted to grow by more than 50% to hit £21.3 billion by 2023, according to the Global Organic Dairy Market Report 2019, published by Omsco, Organic Valley and Eko Holland.

Many CBD and hemp-derived products could face an immediate ban across Europe after the European Food Safety Authority last week reclassified cannabidiol as a ‘Novel Food’.

A survey by the comparison site finder.com predicts that the number of people following a vegan diet in Britain will soar by an astonishing 327% in 2019. 

Leading opinion formers and influencers from the UK and international natural and organic community – and participants at this year’s Natural & Organic Products Europe event in London (7-8 April) – have been sharing their insights on the key trends they think will be shaping natural and organic health food retailing in 2019.

Organic food retailer Planet Organic says it has become the UK’s first chain to achieve zero edible food waste.

Launched on 28 January during rush hour, Canary Wharf became the first location to feature Holland & Barrett’s new menopause adverts, which won a competition by Transport for London and City Hall tackling diversity in advertising.

Specialist research company Ecovia Intelligence has released its trend predictions for 2019, stating that the year ahead is expected to be 'an important one for the sustainable food industry'.