As 2009 draws to a close, we look at some of the outstanding examples of sustainable practice across the food and grocery supply chain. Despite the global credit crunch, the food and grocery industry has remained committed to reducing waste, environmental impact and promoting sustainability. At our annual convention in October 2009, we asked an audience of 600 senior food and grocery dir...

The following are suggestions for how to put the pledge in to practice. 1. Prepare Put in place a system of internal reporting, assess current levels of activity and review previous experience. Within companies, this may involve; Defining what constitutes work experience and skills development opportunities within your business Agreeing the areas your business will measure ...

Growth in the convenience sector is, in part, the result of the changes in consumers' lifestyles and, as a result, capturing this growth  requires an innovative and responsive approach from operators. Here, we explore some of the ways in which retailers are capitalising on developments in technology and services in order to adapt to the evolving needs of their customers and deliver a m...

The world is changing … business is changing … presenting new and difficult questions. Our planet is reaching critical limits. Our economy is undergoing major surgery. And our technology is leaping ahead. These are momentous times … and food … and consumer goods … are at the very heart of it. We're the biggest industry by far ... employing about a third of the world's population. We...

  Access research into consumers' knowledge of sugars and their understanding of the terms associated with sugars and sugar processing Develop consumer-targeted messages about sugars Gain information about the labelling of sugars on food and drink products, and the terms used to describe sugars in the diet This report aims to help food businesses improve consumer understanding of...

Over the past year, the three partners have worked together in Peru, Tanzania, Ukraine and South Africa to begin this process, building on work undertaken by SAB Miller and WWF in the Czech Republic and South Africa in 2008. In each country detailed water footprints have been undertaken to provide greater insight and an in-depth understanding of the risks faced. With this knowledge, the partners...

When people think of Switzerland, their minds probably turn to chocolate, watches or neutrality. But this landlocked country is also home to a flourishing and dynamic consumer goods industry. The Swiss grocery retail market is estimated to be worth EUR44.9bn in 2012, rising to EUR45.2bn in 2013.  The top two retailers are domestic operators Migros and Coop Schweiz, but discounter...

Food inflation is back in the headlines and, as usual, the source is water. In 2007, the Australian wheat and rice crop was almost wiped out by drought, coinciding with low rainfall across Canada and Europe. Global wheat prices doubled and Sam’s Club in the USA began to ration rice. In 2010, Russia is set to lose a quarter of its wheat yield to drought. The floods in Pakistan will cause t...

More often than not, sustainability issues are closely related. Water and carbon are a good example. This article explores just how the two are inexorably and critically linked. Water and power generation + droughts = power shortage Water plays a vital role in the energy generation sector. In the UK, nearly 30% of water abstraction is undertaken in connection with generating electric...

Despite the recession, 2009 proved to be a challenging year for discounters in many European markets. So does this signal a pause or a full stop in the discounters’ growth story? Here, we look at the reasons behind this subdued performance and explore the growth prospects for the channel. Mixed success for discounters across Europe Last year seemed like the perfect storm for disc...