Article list

07 December 2023
Your overview of economic and policy news with a focus on the food and consumer goods industry. This week’s bulletin focuses on economic recovery and the role of the food industry, migration, shopper confidence and obesity. Economic recovery A new report titled Ending Stagnation – a new economic strategy for Britain, from the Resolution Foundation suggests that a toxic combination...
30 November 2023
Your overview of economic and policy news with a focus on the food and consumer goods industry. This week’s bulletin focuses on the CMA competition review, economic growth, migration and availability. Price rise investigation The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has set out the latest findings and next steps in its ongoing review of competition in the groceries sector . Accord...
30 November 2023
New data from ONS shows that 1,180,000 people migrated to the UK in the year ending June 2023 , with 508,000 emigrating 1 . Net inward migration (i.e. number of immigrants less number of emigrants) was therefore 672,000 - a significant increase over historic norms. The ONS has also updated its estimate for net immigration for the full year 2022 up to 745,000. This is over three times...
27 November 2023
Consumers have experienced a long period of high food inflation and weaker than expected availability. Fortunately, food inflation is declining, though remains relatively high. Availability concerns are now lower. However, system weaknesses which helped create these issues remain in place. Download for free our latest Viewpoint report – Powering the everyday economy – the role of the fo...
23 November 2023
Featuring an in-depth review of the Autumn Statement and economic forecasts, the impact on consumers and what this means for the food industry. Where is the economy going? Inflation is likely to remain higher for longer than was previously forecast. Inflation will return to the 2% target more than a year later than previously forecast in 2025. Interest rates are also expected to r...
23 November 2023
In this conversation, our Economics team discuss the Autumn Statement and outline what this means for businesses and consumers. In particular, the team discuss: What the economic forecasts tell us about the future direction of the economy What this means for household incomes What policy changes impact the food industry What this means for trading in 2024   ...
21 November 2023
In this recording our expert team bring to life our new Viewpoint report: Powering the everyday economy . With a presence in every community across the breadth of the country the food system is central to every one of our local economies. While rebuilding resilience is a key challenge, there are significant opportunities for the industry to take a lead in helping increase resilience and driv...
16 November 2023
Your overview of economic and policy news with a focus on the food and consumer goods industry. This week’s bulletin focuses on inflation, food price inflation, food industry value, wages, unemployment and changes at Defra. Inflation declines sharply The ONS has reported that “all items” CPI inflation has fallen sharply from +6.7% year-on-year in September to +4.6% in October, the...
16 November 2023
Only when we recognise the whole food system, from farm to fork can we appreciate how critical it is to a thriving UK, in an ever challenging global landscape. With a presence in every community across the breadth of the country the food system is central to every one of our local economies. The food system will need to work together, like never before, to resolve some of our bigge...
15 November 2023
New data shows inflation slowing abruptly. ONS has now published official inflation data to cover October 2023. As anticipated by many analysts, the headline “all items” CPI inflation measure has fallen sharply, from +6.7% year-on-year in September to +4.6% in October, the lowest rate for about two years. This meets the Prime Minister’s pledge to halve inflation over the course o...