Campaigners in the UK have upped their calls for government action to limit foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt after a survey revealed that obesity topped smoking as the main cause of cancers. But the country’s expected new prime minister hints...
Seven civil society organisations have walked out on the EU Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health, stating that as presently constructed, the platform cannot ‘adequately contribute’ to the reversal of obesity and non-communicable disease trends.
A study examining Portugal’s food reformulation targets reveals a predicted decline in non-communicable disease mortality. However, researchers say Portugal is “currently not on track” to achieve its impending 2025 objective of reducing premature deaths...
A trade deal between the EU and Mercosur has been agreed following 20 years of negotiations, however some questions have been raised regarding production standards.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes pesticide residue looking at 12 food products across the bloc, Nestlé adopts Nutri-Score labels, and a comparison study identifies similarly branded food products with differing compositions.
European project REFRAME, which aims to support the development of rural SMEs, has been granted an extra year of funding. According to the project’s coordinator, small rural businesses are “uniquely positioned” to meet changing consumer preferences.
New legislation named after allergy victim Natasha Ednan-Laperouse requires food businesses to include full ingredients labelling on pre-packaged foods.
Over 340 organizations are demanding the European Union stop trade talks with Mercosur due to a spike in deforestation and human rights violations in Brazil under the Bolsonaro's government.
The World Cocoa Farmers Organization (WCFO) is asking Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to reconsider setting a minimum cocoa price, while the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) is suprised the price was not higher.
By Katia Merten-Lentz, partner at Keller and Heckman
The controversy surrounding the safety evaluations of glyphosate by public European bodies, in particular the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), has had its impact on the EU General Food Law reform, Katia Merten-Lentz, partner at Keller and Heckman,...
An Advocate General has questioned whether the absence of the indication of the origin or place of provenance of a foodstuff originating in a territory occupied by Israel could mislead the consumer. This last fortnight also saw EFSA raise concerns regarding...
The Accountability Framework Initiative aims to help companies address the “fundamental issues” in global supply chains by setting clear commitments, taking action on the ground, and demonstrating progress.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is bringing together multinational food companies and three flagship cities – London, New York, and São Paulo – to deliver “systems level change” that recognises the need to increase food production while addressing the...
Member States of the World Health Organization have agreed to accelerate and scale up action to prevent and treat noncommunicable diseases and Mexico says it is now a priority health issue.
A coalition of NGOs has issued guidance targeting regional fisheries management organisations in an effort to stamp out illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Updated gluten labelling guidance has been published in the UK by the Food & Drink Federation, which aims to “achieve greater consistency in how the presence of cereals containing gluten and gluten-free claims are labelled on pre-packed foods”.
Campaigners in the UK are calling for a government ban on cartoon animations on packets that market unhealthy products to children and compulsory ‘traffic light’ nutrition labelling after a survey discovered that half of over 500 food and drink products...
The Welsh government has unveiled plans to promote sustainable food production through its post-Brexit farming strategy, moving away from the Common Agricultural Policy’s (CAP) subsidy system.
The European Commission (EC) releases a report offering scientific guidance to help meet the growing global demand for seaweed species now accepted as novel food.
Reducing import levies on shell eggs and egg powder from non-EU countries threatens the competitiveness of Europe’s egg industry, researcher Peter van Horne tells FoodNavigator.
The EU Council has adopted a total ban on single-use plastics by 2021, farmers are angry as the Mercosur deal inches closer, while environmentalists have warned about a failure to tackle agriculture’s contribution to climate breakdown. FoodNavigator brings...
Public Health England has been urged to include cakes and biscuits in its calorie reduction programme after researchers found “a considerable amount” of fat in own- and private-label brands.
The European Commission has made steps to enhance price transparency across the agri-food supply chain, including in meat, eggs, dairy, and olive oil sectors.
This week, the European Council adopted new rules banning selected single-use items, England announced plans to outlaw plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds, and Germany revealed that 5,300 disposable cups are used per minute across the country.
By Jack Winkler, Emeritus Professor of Nutrition Policy, London Metropolitan University; and Tam Fry, chair, National Obesity Forum
A historic change in the sales of carbonated soft drinks has taken place since the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) came into force a year ago -- with sugarfree drinks rising, and full sugar products falling.
British farmers have taken to social media to voice concerns regarding the Soil Association’s suggestion that the government instate a ‘plant-based protein’ day in schools.
The Dutch advertising standards watchdog has reaffirmed its ruling that the labelling of FrieslandCampina’s Optimel Vanille Vla is misleading for consumers because it does not communicate the use of artificial flavours clearly enough on pack. According...
The Romanian government has cut VAT rates on healthy and traditional foods, a ‘Pro-NutriScore’ consumer group is urging the Commission to simplify nutritional labels, and an EU project has identified an olive tree disease in southern Italy. FoodNavigator...
The Danish government recently unveiled plans to step up investment in food and ingredients research and development, stating that the country can “take the lead” in tackling global food insecurity and providing innovative new solutions that advance the...
Liam Fox, the UK trade secretary, declined to rule out allowing imports of chlorine-washed chicken or beef raised using growth hormones into the UK after Brexit, insisting the issue is not one of food safety.
Large food companies should pay more in disposal costs and take more responsibility for ensuring the packaging they produce is collected and recycled, says a campaign group after carrying out it what it claims is the largest litter survey ever in the...
A ban on junk food ads before 9pm won’t help tackle England’s childhood obesity epidemic, according to the director of public affairs at the Advertising Association.
The International Food & Beverage Alliance (IFBA), which includes Nestlé and Unilever as well as fast-food giant McDonald's, have set a goal of phasing out industrially produced trans fats (iTFAs) from the global food supply by 2023.
By stopping overfishing, curbing pollution and increasing transparency in the marine fishery industry, we can put more fish in the ocean, says Oceana CEO Andrew Sharpless.
European proposals to block vegetarian or vegan products from using names traditionally associated with meat-based foods are being challenged on the basis that they would breach the “fundamental human rights” of vegans.
Scotland’s seafood industry unveils a blueprint for “growth that is equitable and profitable, with the entire supply chain, from sea to shelf, pulling together for success”.
The European Commission wants to halve food waste by 2030 and, in a bid to enhance this ambition, regulators have agreed a common methodology to measure food waste throughout the bloc.
A joint letter requesting the Commission ban the use of titanium dioxide, or food additive E171, across the bloc has been penned by nine EU-level civil society organisations.
It is wrong to focus on reducing people’s consumption of meat and dairy in order to combat climate change, according to National Farmers' Union (NFU) president Minette Batters.
An EU-wide front-of-pack nutritional labelling scheme with colour coding could help reduce obesity levels and tackle rising non-communicable disease rates, argues the BEUC.
Current ‘restrictive’ and ‘unjustified’ EU GMO policy has halted the development of biotech in crop cultivation, Danish academic Andreas Christiansen tells FoodNavigator.
