Industry News

The latest news from the natural and organic products industry.

MHRA warns of Black Cohosh risk as woman undergoes liver transplant

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned consumers about the dangers of unlicensed Black Cohosh remedies after a woman suffered serious liver failure...

Natural beauty brands seek stronger differentiation as category mainstreams

Slowing market growth, increasing private label activity and the rise of concept stores are three of the top trends in the natural beauty category,...

Altruism is key motivator for organic consumers

Researchers say altruism is the key purchasing motivator for organic consumers, reports foodnavigator.com. The researchers, from the University of Gottingen in Germany, reached their  conclusion...

Organic rising star Romania is Biofach Country of the Year

Romania will be the Country of the Year at the 2013 Biofach event in Nuremberg (13-16 February). Country of the Year focus at the world’s...

Tesco makes second bid for veg box market

Tesco has made a return to the organic veg box scene. The retailer’s new service – called Soil and Seed – launched in early November...

Seasonal sniffles? – it could be Christmas Tree Syndrome!

Seasonal sniffles experienced by many people at this time of year might not be due to the common cold after all. Recent evidence demonstrates...

Whole Foods counts down the days to Cheltenham opening

Whole Foods Market is counting down the days to opening of its seventh UK store. The new store in Cheltenham feature a full service butchery...

Organic pioneer urges industry to leverage EU logo

A prominent organic food pioneer is urging the British organic industry to harness the “unifying power” of the EU Organic Logo. Alex Smith, founder of...

Health claims regulation is “brutal reality check” for industry

The EU Health & Nutrition Claims Regulation is a “brutal reality check” for the European supplements industry, a leading international expert on nutrition policy...

Largest ever prevention trial confirms Echinacea’s efficacy and safety

The largest ever prevention trial using Echinacea has shown that an extract of the herb reduced the development of recurrent cold by 59%. The study...

Organic sales in Netherlands up by 12% in first half 2012

Consumer spendings on organic food in the Netherlands have risen by 11,8% in the first half of 2012, compared to the previous year. Sales...

EFSA rejects study linking GM maize to cancer in rats

The European Food Safety Authority says that the recent study linking genetically modified maize and a glyphosate herbicide with cancer in rats is of “insufficient...

Conference puts spotlight on ‘The Future for Botanicals’

Chris Kilham, 'The Medicine Hunter', will join a panel of industry and regulatory experts at a conference on the future of Botanicals in London...

ASA rejects complaint about organic ad’s pesticide claim

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that an organic industry advertisement did not mislead consumers about pesticide exposure. An unnamed complainant had challenged statements...

Study links fast food with lower IQ

Children who grow up on a diet of fast food meals will have a lower IQ in  adulthood than those who regularly eat freshly-cooked...

The ‘Organic. Naturally different.’ campaign just got fruitier.

The ‘Organic. Naturally different.’ campaign just got fruitier. The 2012 poster and ad campaign features a variety of ‘talking fruit’ and the latest ads feature...

GM researchers subjected to co-ordinated harassment

Several prominent scientists have signed an Open Letter warning of “grave threats” to open scientific discussion on GM technologies. The scientists say that the widespread...

What are we writing about?

What have we been writing about here on the NP news desk over the last few weeks? We’ve just put our latest 50 news headlines...

GM tumour study was food industry mag’s “biggest ever story”

The editor of food industry weekly The Grocer says that its coverage of the recent French GM tumour study was its “biggest story ever”. The...

FSA reviews ‘may contain’ advice amid concern over alibi labelling

The omnipresent phrase ‘may contain’ is one of ‘those deeply annoying facts of life” says the Anaphylaxis Campaign, the charity for people with severe...