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Co‐production is a collaborative way of working which emphasises the exchange of diverse forms of knowledge in an equal partnership for equal benefits. Co‐produced research is a key strategic aim of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) Strategic Priorities Fund; this research programme brings together researchers, policymakers, industry and communities to create positive change in the way food is produced, accessed and consumed. However, more generally, there are diverse understandings of co‐production and a lack of consensus on what 'good practice' looks like. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and map examples of co‐production methods employed across the TUKFS programme. Two creative workshops (n = 15 participants), conversations with TUKFS researchers and stakeholders (n = 15), and systematic analysis of project documents were used to critically explore co‐production activities within six TUKFS projects. A range of co‐production activities were identified. Findings highlighted areas of 'messiness' and complexity, challenges associated with applying co‐production approaches and practical solutions. Four key shared principles for co‐production were identified: (1) Relationships: developing and maintaining reciprocity‐based partnerships; (2) Knowledge: recognising the contribution of diverse forms of expertise; (3) Power: considering power dynamics and addressing imbalances; and (4) Inclusivity: ensuring research is accessible to all who wish to participate. Opportunities for reflection and reflexivity were considered crucial across all these areas. Findings contribute important insights towards a shared conceptual understanding of co‐production for food system transformation research. This paper makes recommendations for researchers, practitioners, academic institutions and funders working in this area of research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This thought document initiates a series of commissioned articles, which will appear in this Journal during 2024 and marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Institute of Food Science and Technology in the UK. Climate changes have been seen to have major effects on the disruption of food supply systems. Such changes have had implications on food sustainability, food security and the nutritional composition of foods. In response to these disruptions, food researchers and the food industry have evaluated potential research activities to alleviate risks associated with food insecurity, and focussed on waste utilisation and the use of recovered products for the well‐being of consumers. This viewpoint article focusses on a selection of recently published articles from the International Journal of Food Science and Technology and aligned journals to show the relevance of such research to today's food industry. It is by examining the recent focus of researchers in specific areas of food science and technology, that it is possible to apply these published findings to the modern food industry and help reduce the impact of what may be considered a resource hungry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is intense debate surrounding digitalisation and its implications for work. However, empirical research within established workplaces, especially international comparative studies, remains limited. This article uses cross‐country research to further analysis of the relative importance of different institutions, actors and power relations in shaping digitalisation and worker outcomes. Through a multi‐level approach, it compares the use of industrial robots in the food and drink processing sector in Norway and the UK. Drawing on qualitative research, it explores the pace of digitalisation, the process of implementation and job and skills outcomes. The study finds strong national differences in the pace of digitalisation, and the role of unions in the process of implementation. In Norway, union power at workplace and national level, embedded in institutional arrangements, underpins more advanced use of technology and improved outcomes for workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights the weakness of the UK's occupational health and safety infrastructure exposed by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Utilising a political economy perspective, it captures the critical role of workplace union safety representatives in mitigating risk and contesting the expropriation of health and recommodification of labour, specifically inadequate sick pay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overweight and obesity is a global concern as a significant risk factor for non‐communicable diseases. Increased energy intake due to greater consumption of energy‐dense food or non‐alcoholic beverages high in fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt ('HFSS food') is the main explanation for population weight gain. The principal drivers underlying this consumption are the commercial determinants of health in the food chain, particularly the marketing of HFSS food. In the UK, some rules do regulate certain forms of HFSS food marketing (such as television and online advertising to children) and the government is considering strengthening these. However, although sports sponsorship by 'HFSS food businesses' (defined as a business preparing, cooking, storing, handling, distributing, supplying or selling food and whose products are primarily HFSS) is increasingly recognised as linked to HFSS food consumption, it has received little attention. This is all the more concerning in light of the recent proliferation of 'HFSS food businesses' and HFSS products partnering with sports organisations. Against this background, we hosted a workshop to focus on the relationship between health, nutrition and the sponsorship of sport and related marketing by 'HFSS food businesses' and to consider the implications for obesity prevention strategies in the UK and beyond. This innovative workshop capitalised on, and contributed to, ongoing efforts to conceptually unite existing research by bringing together an interdisciplinary team of experts providing unique and complementary perspectives on how to address sports sponsorship as one of the channels through which 'HFSS food businesses' contribute to poor nutrition and diet‐related diseases. This report summarises the structure, participants and discussions from the workshop; the existing evidence base; and the future research and policy opportunities we plan to pursue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The perception that foods are consumed primarily to meet physiological and nutritional needs is nowadays understood as an outdated concept. Substantial empirical literatures have proven that diverse factors influence consumers' decisions in choosing healthy foods and diets, but the process of food choice remains complex. In this systematic review, the consumers' perceptions on food choices are explored and the key factors that influence food choices among the UK consumers are identified. The findings of this review were reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA). The identified food choice factors were categorised into product, person and environmental (social, economic and informational)‐related factors. Interventions that would improve awareness of healthier food choices and negative impacts of factors influencing food choices are recommended. Studies on consumer behaviours around perceptions and choices of foods are scanty in the United Kingdom, and the limitations identified in this review are to be addressed in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New plans to restrict in‐store price and location‐based promotions of less healthy foods and drinks in the UK aimed to encourage healthier choices. With responsibility for implementation likely falling to food retailers, it is important to understand the feasibility of implementation and to ensure policy success. To ensure compliance, retailers will need to assess which products are restricted under the legislation. The large number of products in retailers' portfolios poses a problem of scale. A recent research case study found the data available to retailers to be insufficient to accurately apply the rules‐based approach set out by the policy proposal. Misclassification would result in some less healthy products being incorrectly promoted and vice versa. Problems with implementation feasibility have the potential to undermine the public health goals of the legislation. Interviews were carried out with nutrition representatives from the UK food retail and manufacturing sector, to understand the real‐world implications of the proposed legislation. Industry nutritionists recommended a review of the use of the UK's Nutrient Profiling Model as the legislative basis, proposed data‐related solutions to implementation problems and suggested a need for shared retailer‐manufacturer responsibility, given the context of data availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food retailers in the UK have a responsibility to look after the health of their customers. In recognition of this, they have established a number of internal and external commitments to provide access to a wider range of healthier and more sustainable foods to support the health of their customers. However, they are also presented with specific voluntary targets from Public Health England and other organisations. Meeting these targets can present technical challenges and may be costly. Alongside more traditional approaches (such as reformulation), changing customer behaviour is being explored as an additional tool to help food retailers meet their commitments by altering customers choices towards more healthy foods. Choice architecture and 'nudging' are approaches that can be adopted by retailers to encourage behaviour change in customers. In this article, we explore the theoretical uses of nudge theory in a food retail environment and discuss its potential as a tool for retailers to mitigate some of the challenges presented by other approaches, but also to identify potential pitfalls in the use of nudges. There is some evidence to suggest that nudging can be a useful method to encourage behaviour change amongst consumers and that these approaches can be relatively cost‐effective and quick to implement, although they may be context‐specific. These approaches are best utilised in parallel with more established methods, such as reformulation and information campaigns, due to their relatively small effect sizes. Additionally, any nudges that are implemented should be carefully considered for both their potential efficacy and the ethical implications of their enforcement and should have adequate monitoring in place to track their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial food scientists modify oil formulations in order to meet their customers' needs such as cost and nutritional content, but the fat formulae must also function during production of the food and in the finished food product. Unlike mono‐ and polyunsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids (SFA) are resistant to oxidation and become solid at room temperatures. Reducing the level of SFA therefore creates technical difficulties. Techniques such as plant breeding to reduce polyunsaturated fat and so increase oxidative stability, and fractionation and interesterification to provide greater firmness, are discussed. Opportunities for SFA reduction are identified in baked goods, such as biscuits, cakes and pastries, using formulations which are already available on the market. Other products, such as meat, dairy and confectionery, would prove harder to reformulate. An example of a successful change in fatty acid profiles of foods is the removal of industrially produced trans fatty acids, which was largely complete in the UK by 2006. Similar methods could be used to bring about a reduction in intake of saturated fat, but the food industry would need compelling scientific, regulatory or public relations arguments to motivate these changes due to the costs involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK national food composition dataset, maintained at the Quadram Institute Bioscience, is a valuable national resource for a variety of users. The UK has a long history of compiling and utilising food composition data, which started for the specific purpose of understanding war‐time nutrition, and is now fundamental to multiple areas of research, policy, food manufacturing and consumer behaviour. The rise of mHealth technologies has brought food and nutrition data direct to the consumer and presents new challenges for food data compilers relating to coverage of foods and nutrients, and accessibility and transparency of data. In addition, emerging efforts in sustainable food production, changing diets and the ever‐increasing burden of non‐communicable diseases requires an integrated approach that will span the agri‐food, nutrition and health space. In order to achieve this, there needs to be continued efforts in food data standardisation, international collaboration and stronger emphasis in making food and nutrition data FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable). The UK national food composition data and the emerging initiatives in food and nutrition it supports are playing an important role in the future development of healthy and sustainable UK diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The British Nutrition Foundation held a 1‐day roundtable event to gather views from a wide range of stakeholders on the relevance and importance of the concept of nutrient density in supporting and motivating people to make healthier dietary choices. The opportunities and barriers associated with the use of this concept were also explored. The roundtable involved experts from research, public health nutrition, dietetics, retail and nutrition science communication, and this report describes the main themes emerging from the discussions. High obesity prevalence rates indicate that, on average, we are consuming too many calories relative to energy requirements; yet, the quality of our diets, with respect to certain vitamins and minerals and fibre, seems to be falling somewhat short of recommendations. Addressing this issue may require a more holistic approach than the current focus on restricting single nutrients prevalent in public health messaging internationally. Most members of the roundtable felt that communicating the concept of nutrient density may help in encouraging healthier food choices and dietary patterns that are higher in nutritional quality. However, while nutrient profiling has been used to guide front‐of‐pack labelling and in restricting the advertising of less healthy foods to children, there is a lack of consensus on the precise definition of a 'nutrient dense' food or which nutrients should be used as markers of the 'healthiness' of foods/drinks, and the term seems to be poorly understood by consumers and health professionals alike. Therefore, further work is required if tools around this concept are to be developed to try and successfully promote behaviour change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on improving productivity and produce more food domestically in Great Britain. It mentions that initiative from the government, geared to develop and deliver an innovative food strategy, provides an once in a lifetime opportunity to look at food, nutrition and the environment. It also informs on upskilling of medical and healthcare professions in evidence-based nutrition and its application in health promotion.

Interconnected sets of vulnerabilities have emerged in the European food system since 2007–2008, raising concerns about food security in a region with arguably some of the most advanced and prosperous economies and environmental governance frameworks. Historically, this is suggesting the current "double jeopardy" problem in food system vulnerability—with systemic declines both in sustainability (the ability of the food system to ecologically renew itself) and food security (the ability of a population to access sufficient nutritional foods and feed itself). By focusing on both drivers and impacts of food system vulnerabilities in the European Union and United Kingdom, this paper explores a grounded and relational approach to financialization—recognized as a key expression of recent growing vulnerabilities. Through the prism of the current socio‐economic pressures facing food producers, and the emergence of potentially "stranded assets" in the agri‐food system more generally, the analysis seeks to show how the combined relationships between neo‐liberalized governance and the market volatilities encouraged by new rounds of financialization are creating "nested" vulnerabilities. As we conclude, a critical, grounded, and systemic understanding of food system vulnerabilities thus becomes a key feature and precursor for potentially developing more resilient agri‐food systems—both regionally and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the nature of competitive assets that are based on control of part of a market's infrastructure using a case study of the U.K. frozen food market. Following an argument due to Stigler, the thesis of the paper is that such assets are inherently transitory, and that positions of market leadership based on them tend to erode. This argument is consistent with the experiences of Birds Eye during the post-War period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Ageing well' has been highlighted as an important research area by the World Health Organization. In the UK, healthy ageing has been identified as a priority research area by multiple Research Councils and is a key NHS priority. Sarcopaenia, the decline of muscle mass/strength and a key component of healthy ageing, can have a major impact on quality of life and is associated with premature mortality. Increasing protein intake at all stages of the life course may help to reduce the rate of muscle decline and the onset of associated health conditions. However, there is a lack of understanding of the social, demographic and psychological drivers of food choices surrounding protein intake. This report describes the multidisciplinary approach that has been adopted by the Protein for Life project to create a framework for the development of palatable, costeffective higher-protein foods suitable for an ageing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A conference was held by the British Nutrition Foundation in October 2017 to explore future trends in agriculture, manufacturing and retailing, and the relationship between these trends and food choice. Topics explored by the speakers included sustainability, climate change, Brexit, the ageing population, technological advances in food production, product reformulation, consumer behaviour and public health agendas. This report summarises the conference proceedings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In July 2017, a landmark report Review of Nutrition and Health Research (80 pages) was published following a strategic review commissioned by The Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research (OSCHR). The review sets out a future vision for nutrition research and offers recommendations designed to capitalise on UK strengths, tackle weaknesses and thus strengthen and revitalise the UK research base. Traditionally, the UK has benefited considerably from research funding from the European Union, and the report stresses the window of opportunity that exists to galvanise the research community at a time when the future of UK research funding is at a crossroads. Unusual for reviews of this type, the report emphasises the vital need for partnership with industry, not least because the sector is key to ensuring translation of research advances into healthier products and improved nutrition support for those who are ill. The strategic review calls for an agreed code of practice to facilitate open, transparent and effective partnerships. In response to the review, the Medical Research Council has identified three pillars of activity for nutrition research: building the UK research base; developing plans for global nutrition research; and working with the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eating, shopping and cooking habits have radically changed over the last 50 years. This paper examines a number of food categories that have developed significantly over this time period and highlights where food science and specifically reformulation have played a role in developing foods, to better fit into modern, healthy diets. Underpinned by the growing knowledge and application of food science and technology, changes in food and drink composition in response to increased understanding of the links between diet and health have been significant. This trend is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informalisation is a process that involves the lowering of the floor for pay and working conditions, sometimes legally and sometimes illegally, and it may occur in both formal and informal labour market settings. This paper examines what informalisation looks like in practice in the UK context. Drawing on the experiences of 62 low-wage migrant workers, employed in the UK food industry, the paper identifies five facets of 'informalisation', namely, job insecurity, work intensification, worker expendability, worker subordination, and employment intermediation. The identification of these five facets of informalisation is important in its own right. In addition, the UK case study also serves to emphasise the fact that the degradation of work is not something that is simply confined to the margins but is evident in the mainstream (beyond irregular workers and beyond the informal economy). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a response to Taylor et al's (2010) call for further research regarding workplace attendance. It examines the new politics of absence management in the UK and Cyprus in food retail sector, identifying a dual approach in managing attendance across the two countries. The first approach suggested the penalization of absence, whilst the second focused on the prevention of absence through accommodation. The article argues that 'coercion' is not the sole vehicle to tackle high absence in food retailing rather it suggests the development of other practices to enhance cooperation to regular attendance. The research identifies significant differences regarding the formality of these processes between the two countries, and suggests the generation of a particular attendance culture within the organisations, one that is not merely a culture of fear, as Taylor et al (2010) suggest, but rather a culture that includes accommodation and cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The present study aimed to compare the nutritional quality ( NQ) and energy costs ( EC) (£ MJ-1) of own brand ( OB) versus market brand ( MB) foods in 2010 and 2012. Methods A list of processed foods ( n = 32) was identified based on the most frequently consumed foods in the UK. Total fat, saturated fat, sugars, salt and energy density (ED) ( kJ g−1) in 2010 and 2012 were compared for six OB and one MB version of each food using a NQ scoring method based on the Food Standards Agency's Traffic Light System (TLS). Additional information (fruit, vegetable and nut content; protein; fibre and sodium) was recorded in 2012, and NQ was assessed using the Food Standards Agency's nutrient profiling model (NPM). The EC of the food baskets (FB) was compared in 2010 and 2012. Results There were no differences in overall NQ between OB and MB FB in 2010 ( TLS, P = 0.978) or 2012 ( TLS, P = 0.840; NPM, P = 0.696). However, the MB FB was highest in EC in 2010 and 2012 (both P < 0.001). There was an inverse relationship between the ED and EC of the MB foods in 2010 ( r = −0.484; P = 0.005) and 2012 ( r = −0.452; P = 0.009). Conclusions The MB FB was higher in EC than the OB FB in 2010 and 2012 but not superior in overall NQ based on both the TLS and NPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper argues that David Harvey's (1981) concept of the 'spatial fix' ( Antipode 13(3):1-12) can help us to understand contemporary labour migration. According to Harvey, the spatial fix is a response by capital to periodic crises that may involve both ex situ (finding new markets and production sites) and in situ solutions (importing and/ or improving labour). Drawing on experiences in the UK food industry, via 37 employer interviews, I show that in situ restructuring has become hegemonic and that an associated 'good migrant worker' rhetoric has emerged. This rhetoric has two dimensions. Most obviously, low-wage employers stress the apparently superior hard and soft skills of migrants. Some, however, also link low-wage immigration to a purposeful shift in power from labour to capital. In both respects, migration functions as a regulatory project and 'spatial fix', and employers' 'need' for migrant labour is primarily about maximising labour power in downgraded jobs more than about absolute labour shortages. Implications for policy Employer reliance on migrant labour is not new. It is important, therefore, that policymakers do not get too carried away by contemporary low-wage immigration. Nevertheless, this phenomenon appears to occur even when, in theory at least, employers could recruit domestically. The fact that they do not, demonstrates the ways in which recruitment, even at the bottom of the labour market, is not just about getting people in post, but about getting the right kind of people in post. Labour shortages, then, are an issue of quality and quantity; and employers' ability to use periphery-to-core migration to increase both is what constitutes the 'in situ spatial fix'. The challenge for policymakers is to weigh up the undoubted economic benefits of this 'fix' (especially significant for sectors that are undergoing prolonged restructuring, like the UK food industry) against the impact it can have in depressing pay and conditions and further marginalising would-be domestic workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The paper argues that a clear migrant-local hiring queue has emerged at the bottom of the UK labour market since EU enlargement (in 2004 and 2007). The hiring queue reflects a preference amongst low-wage employers in the UK food industry for newly arrived A8 and A2 migrants and related prejudice towards would-be domestic workers. Using interview and survey evidence - from 37 horticultural growers/processors and 268 farmers, respectively - we describe what these hiring queues look like. We then explain their emergence: arguing that migrant-local hiring queues are predominantly the result of the 'added value' that migrants from the EU periphery bring, over the short term, to the low-wage workplace. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An audit toolkit was developed to enable food companies to measure their suppliers in terms of environmental management. Environmental practices and performance metrics were audited using a customised survey that enabled the quantification of best practice, common practice and areas for improvement. It was tested on six suppliers to a major fresh food company. Key areas of best practice included separation and recycling of waste streams, efforts to reduce use of raw materials, energy, water, pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers. Some suppliers were working with stakeholders to reduce environmental impacts. The supplier with the best environmental performance had developed and implemented an Environmental Management Policy and was working towards ISO 14001 accreditation. The study identified four areas for improvement by the suppliers. These were the implementation of an Environmental Management System, the sourcing of more renewable materials and energy, the systematic measurement of the food miles of products and carbon and water footprinting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The portion size of pre-packaged food and drink products is one of the suggested areas of focus within the calorie reduction pledge of the UK government's Public Health Responsibility Deal. Food businesses are encouraged to commit to this pledge to help consumers decrease their overall energy intake. There is a lack of evidence, however, to suggest that changes in the portion size of pre-packaged food and drinks will lead to a decrease in overall energy intake. The Institute of Grocery Distribution's ( IGD) Industry Nutrition Strategy Group convened a working group to review the evidence available on the portion size of pre-packaged food and drink and its relation to consumption behaviour. This involved input from a stakeholder workshop that identified gaps in the evidence base. The working group also documented informal aspects that can influence portion size from the perspective of the food industry. In their Report, the working group concluded that there is a need for more evidence in relation to the portion size of pre-packaged food and drink and its impact on consumption behaviour. Further research will help determine how portion sizes may be optimised to support consumers in managing their energy intake, while satisfying appetite and avoiding any unintended consequences. The Report makes recommendations for priority areas. These include determining whether portion size of pre-packaged products is the best instrument to help consumers manage their energy intake and understanding the impact of promotional dynamics on consumption behaviour. It is anticipated that investigation of these areas will inform the debate on the portion size of pre-packaged foods and drinks and provide evidence to help guide decisions about portion size in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy density is the energy (calorie) content per unit weight of a food, meal or diet. It is important in terms of its impact on an individual's energy intake and overall energy balance. With obesity as a major public health issue in the UK and many other countries, encouraging intake of foods that are lower in energy density could help consumers to reduce their energy intake and eat a healthy, balanced diet. The food industry has a role in helping consumers achieve a healthy, balanced diet. Incorporating energy density as an element of the design or development of their products is one way through which food businesses might support this aim. The Institute of Grocery Distribution's (IGD) Industry Nutrition Strategy Group has produced a report for food businesses to help them to consider energy density as part of new product development or product reformulation. 'The role of energy density in helping consumers make healthy choices' provides information on energy density and its role in energy balance, techniques to adjust the energy density of foods, with guidance on using this concept in consumer communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a comparative analysis of changes in numerical and functional labour flexibility in the French and the UK food processing industry. Based upon case study data, it explores the interaction between competitive pressures and institutional and regulatory structures and their impact on workplace practices. The findings indicate that, faced with a similar competitive environment, firms in both countries have sought to increase labour flexibility. However, the predominant forms of flexibility vary across the two countries, partly reflecting the characteristics of national labour market institutions. Numerical flexibility dominates in the UK, with high levels of paid overtime and temporary agency work. In contrast, French workplaces rely more on internal functional flexibility while also achieving numerical flexibility through seasonal variations in work schedules and a wide range of short-term employment contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulators in a number of countries are increasingly developing “risk-based” strategies to manage their resources, and their reputations as “risk-based regulators” have become much lauded by regulatory reformers. This widespread endorsement of risk-based regulation, together with the experience of regulatory failure, prompts us to consider how risk-based regulators can attune the logics of risk analyses to the complex problems and the dynamics of regulation in practice. We argue, first, that regulators have to regulate in a way that is responsive to five elements: (1) regulated firms' behavior, attitude, and culture; (2) regulation's institutional environments; (3) interactions of regulatory controls; (4) regulatory performance; and (5) change. Secondly, we argue that the challenges of regulation to which regulators have to respond vary across the different regulatory tasks of detection, response development, enforcement, assessment, and modification. Using the “really responsive” framework, we highlight some of the strengths and limitations of using risk-based regulation to manage risk and uncertainty within the constraints that flow from practical circumstances and, indeed, from the framework of risk-based regulation itself. The need for a revised, more nuanced conception of risk-based regulation is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Implementing a European Union (EU)-wide mandatory nutrition labelling scheme has been advocated as part a multi-pronged strategy to tackle obesity. The type of scheme needs to be acceptable to all key stakeholders. This study explored stakeholders’ viewpoints of labelling in two contrasting food cultures (France and the UK) to see whether attitudes were influenced by sectoral interests and/or national context. Methods: Using Multi Criteria Mapping, a decision analysis tool that assesses stakeholder viewpoints, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered during tape-recorded interviews. In France and the UK, 21 comparable stakeholders appraised nutritional labelling with criteria of their own choosing (i.e. feasibility, societal benefits, social acceptability, efficacy in addressing obesity, additional health benefits) and three criteria relating to cost (to industry; public sector; individuals). When scoring, interviewees provided both optimistic (best case) and pessimistic (worst case) judgements. Results: Overall, mandatory nutritional labelling was appraised least favourably in France. Labelling performed worse under optimistic (best case) scenarios in France, for five out of eight sets of criteria. French stakeholders viewed labelling as expensive, having fewer benefits to society and as being marginally less effective than UK stakeholders did. However, French interviewees thought implementing labelling was feasible and would provide additional health benefits. British and French stakeholders made similar quantitative judgements on how socially acceptable mandatory labelling would be. Conclusions: There is agreement between some stakeholder groups in the two different countries, especially food chain operators. However, cultural differences emerged that could influence the impact of an EU-wide mandatory labelling scheme in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of marketing executives on the boards of directors of large British companies has been the subject of much discussion in recent years. Yet empirical research into the antecedents of board membership for marketing managers has been sparse. This study surveyed senior marketers in 209 registered companies in the food and beverages manufacturing sector with the aim of establishing some of the main factors that distinguish marketing managers who had attained board level positions and those who had not. Possible determinants of board membership covered by the investigation comprised the personal background of the manager (elite credentials, functional specialism, knowledge of general and financial management, social behaviour, emotional intelligence), the competitive environment of the business, whether marketing performance was measured systematically, and the degree of the sales orientation of the firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ProSafeBeef is a 5-year integrated project funded by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme. Its overall aim is to ensure that the European beef chain thrives, by conducting research in a number of areas including food safety, nutrition, consumer research and innovations in processing. This article discusses the importance of beef in the diet as a whole. Beef contains protein of high biological value and provides an important range of micronutrients, most notably B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc and iron. It is hoped that ProSafeBeef will have a significant impact on the beef industry by successfully transferring appropriate knowledge direct to the end user via its work on technology transfer, training and dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the study concerning the health effects of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in Great Britain. The dramatic reduction in average population intake of TFAs in the country over the past 2 decades provided information of the achievements through voluntary action by the food industry. It has been noted that TFAs remain an important health concern in the country.

The focus of international scholarship on the contemporary transformation of organic food and farming has been a rather narrow preoccupation with the ‘conventionalisation thesis’ that describes a process whereby the structure and ideology of the expanding organic sector is seen increasingly to resemble that of the conventional food and farming sector that it has traditionally opposed. This study seeks to contribute to this literature by examining the role of the UK government in shaping the British organic sector since 1980, when it first began to engage seriously with organic farming. It draws on the analysis of a wide range of government and organic movement publications for the period 1980–2006, as well as a programme of semi-structured interviews with key organic policy actors during this time frame. By analysing the way in which the UK government has discursively constructed three separate story-lines about organics, this study argues that the effects of government action on British organic food and farming are best described as a process of containment. Further, it posits the need to move on from the rather reductionist focus offered by the conventionalisation thesis to more nuanced approaches to the transformation of contemporary food and farming that account for different geographical contexts, and the particular roles of different actors actively constructing what ‘organics’ is. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food hygiene inspection results previously kept confidential from the public may now be released, and this gives food authorities the opportunity to publish these ratings, known as ‘Scores on Doors’, allowing consumers to make informed decisions when deciding where they will eat. The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) is supporting trials of some of these schemes, which will involve more than 60 of the 400 local authorities, some of which have yet to launch their schemes. Other food authorities are running disclosure schemes independent of the FSA pilot scheme. The FSA has commissioned an evaluation of ‘Scores on Doors’ schemes to determine which is the most effective scheme with a view to launching a consistent nationwide scheme. A survey of ‘Scores on Doors’ schemes reveals many differences in the way they operate. This includes differences in the interpretation of scores, the extent of information that is disclosed, the communication channels used to disclose information, the amount of publicity provided for businesses and the public, the publicity given to the schemes by local media, and whether businesses are scored retrospectively or scored at inspection following the launch of the scheme. The implications of these variables for a comprehensive evaluation of the schemes are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the development food labeling regulations in Great Britain. It details on the complex progression of the regulation from pre-1930 towards the present day practice of food labeling controls. Moreover, an overview on the 1934 Report of the Departmental Committee on the composition and description of Food, the Food and Drugs Act of 1938, the Labeling of Food Order 1946, and the Food Advisory Committee Review of some Marketing Terms in 2001 are presented.

• Britain is increasingly mirroring a number of nations in terms of the continued growth in prevailing levels of illnesses related potentially to human food consumption. As this issue fast becomes global, the question of whose responsibility it is, has come to the forefront of the debate. Other groups, apart from the Governments with direct involvement in this crisis are the Consumers and the Marketers. Using the food industry as the basis, the study primarily focuses on the consumers' perceptions of the nature and the extent of the problem. To investigate, three products used in the study are placed on a continuum; Chocolates represent one end and Genetically manufactured foods the other. Fast foods are represented in the middle. This framework highlights variations in consumer perceptions based on product differences: manufacturers have been held responsible for the provision of pertinent information in the case of genetically manufactured products; in the context of fast foods and Confectionery both manufacturers and consumers have been seen as responsible for consumers' existing consumption patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the behavior-analytic tradition of analyzing individual behavior, the present research investigated demand elasticity of individual consumers purchasing supermarket products, and compared individual and group analyses of elasticity. Panel data from 80 UK consumers purchasing 9 product categories (i.e., baked beans, biscuits, breakfast cereals, butter, cheese, fruit juice, instant coffee, margarine and tea) during a 16-week period were used. Elasticity coefficients were calculated for individual consumers with data from all or only 1 product category (intra-consumer elasticities), and for each product category using all data points from all consumers (overall product elasticity) or 1 average data point per consumer (interconsumer elasticity). In addition to this, split-sample elasticity coefficients were obtained for each individual with data from all product categories purchased during weeks 1 to 8 and 9 to 16. The results suggest that: 1) demand elasticity coefficients calculated for individual consumers purchasing supermarket food products are compatible with predictions from economic theory and behavioral economics; 2) overall product elasticities, typically employed in marketing and econometric research, include effects of interconsumer and intraconsumer elasticities; 3) when comparing demand elasticities of different product categories, group and individual analyses yield similar trends; and 4) individual differences in demand elasticity are relatively consistent across time, but do not seem to be consistent across products. These results demonstrate the theoretical, methodological, and managerial relevance of investigating the behavior of individual consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the impact of recent reforms to the UK food safety régime and considers whether the reforms have been able to deliver their promised benefits and if not, why not. Empirically, the paper examines the UK Food Standards Agency's (FSA) reforms to the régime managing food allergen risks, and the extent to which those reforms have reflected the FSA's guiding principle of “putting consumers first”. The paper finds that the operationalization of that guiding principle was mitigated by a number of factors, including: interpretative flexibility in representing consumer interests; the institutional structure and character of the régime; the political and cultural environment in which the régime operated; and normative uncertainties about the allocation of rights and responsibilities in managing risks. The paper concludes that risk regulation reforms are likely to fail in prioritizing consumer interests unless such factors are taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry is currently under pressure from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to deliver reductions in the salt intake of the population through the introduction of lower salt levels in processed foods (Gilbert&Heisler 2004 in same issue). Government research indicates that meat and meat products as a category are the second largest contributor to dietary salt after cereal products. This use of a combined category of‘meat and meat products’ is misleading, as carcase meat is naturally low in sodium and therefore salt. Salt is added to meat products for a variety of technical reasons, including microbiological safety. There is evidence that consumers are confused about the difference between the terms‘sodium’ and‘salt’. Analysis of products for labelling purposes therefore requires careful consideration to ensure that misleading information is not presented. While the debate about the role of salt in blood pressure control will no doubt continue, the British meat industry has committed to reducing the salt, or more specifically sodium, content of its products. To this end an action plan for sodium reduction in meat products has been developed which focuses on those products with the highest sodium contents and encourages producers to seek opportunities to reduce the sodium content of all meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritionists and Dietitians have an important role to play in enabling populations to improve their health. Using examples from a UK food retailer and rural community in Zambia, this article highlights the importance of developing strong partnerships which support sustainable community-based activities that promote healthier practices at the individual, family and community levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years we have witnessed the development of numerous alternative strategies (AS) within the UK agro-food system intent on overcoming, or at least circumventing, some of the problems associated with the globalisation of food production and consumption. Within these AS, there is an intention to reconnect food to the social, cultural and environmental context of its production, leading to considerable interest in their potential to engender sustained change within the food system. However, it is apparent that AS are likely to face various pressures on their underlying integrity and alterity, and their possible re-incorporation within mainstream processes. There is a need, therefore, to interrogate the durability of AS, which this paper does through its critical examination of farmers' markets (FMs). Drawing upon a number of FM cases studies, it examines the engagement of producers and consumers, both with each other, but also with the exchange context of FMs. The resultant data are assessed within the conceptual domains of embeddedness and regard as a means of better understanding the nature of FMs as an AS. The paper concludes by outlining the implications of this research for our comprehension of AS more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the misrepresentation of Australasian meat in Britain, 1890–1914. Using contemporary official analyses of this practice, we investigate the alleged economic consequences for Australasian and British farmers and British consumers and discuss evidence of the extent of this misrepresentation. The need to secure ‘honest trade’ by compulsory marking of imported meat was the principal recommendation of several official enquiries. However, support for the legislative measures proposed to eradicate misrepresentation was far from unanimous. Overall, the evidence suggests that misrepresentation was not as serious in extent or consequence, as some contemporaries feared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to evaluate the factors that have given rise to the large presence of foreign firms in the UK food and drink manufacturing sector. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in food and drink manufacturing is very high — the second highest for any manufacturing sector in the UK economy. An empirical model is tested on 48 5-digit sectors in the food industry and we find that brands, skills and a low propensity to export positively affect employment in EU-owned firms. Alternatively, employment in non-EU owned firms is affected by propensity to export factors and by the effective tariff rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the market forces and industry responses involved in the children's food industry. Social changes affecting children's food education and food choices; British food and grocery industry's response to social changes; Consumer research on children's thoughts towards food, cooking and meal times; Children's food preferences.

Abstract The Food Standards Agency was set up in April 2000 to protect the health of the public and the interests of consumers in relation to food. Its principal purpose is to put the consumer first. But what does this mean in practice? The Agency is finding ways to help consumer organizations and consumer representatives contribute more effectively to its work. However, consumer organizations cannot hope to represent the full range of consumer perspectives, and so the Agency is keen to reach out to individual consumers using a variety of innovative mechanisms. This article will describe why the Agency was established and how it achieves its main objective of putting the consumer first. It will discuss how the Agency is developing and testing new ways of working to ensure that the consumer perspective is fully accounted for when developing and evaluating policies, including setting up an influential new Consumer Committee. It will go on to highlight a number of recent innovative consumer consultations and structures that have been established to involve consumers in Agency policy making. It will discuss these processes and how the lessons that have been learnt are informing future Agency strategies. The article will then describe how the Agency protects consumers through effective risk communication strategies and how its Annual Consumer Attitudes Survey will help it measure success so that it can continue to set new stand-ards in putting consumers first in relation to food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the government and food industry priorities listed in the Briefing Paper issued by the British Nutrition Foundation.

Associating ideas related to cultural geographies of ‘quality’ food production and consumption with recent discussion of Internet technologies, virtuality and simulation, this paper examines two newly constituted Internet enterprises offering customers ‘virtual’ experiences of food production, and ‘quality’ food products in which they have invested. The paper shows how these enterprises are associated with particular types of geographical and ethical relation, and a search for ‘authentic’, connected, relationships with food, farming, locality and ‘nature’. These relationships are constituted in an assemblage of things held together by flows of food, products, money and electronic communication. The paper ends by suggesting a number of theoretical ideas that might usefully be explored in empirical research into Internet-mediated food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Over the last decade, some interesting changes have been seen in the British diet. Some of these have resulted from changes in wide-reaching social issues that affect today's eating culture, such as the fast pace of today's lifestyle, whereas others have occurred as a result of alterations in food production methods and technological advances. The consumption of meat and meat products, in particular, has seen a great deal of flux, and as meat is an important source of various nutrients in the diet, this is an area that warrants further investigation of the resulting public health implications. This paper reviews some of the trends in meat consumption over the last 10 years and describes the role of meat in the UK diet today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMarketing food directly from producers to consumers, so circumventing the ‘middlemen’ in the food supply chain, has many potential benefits. For consumers, direct marketing initiatives are providing people with locally grown, fresh, healthy and, in many cases, organic food at affordable prices. Through buying locally grown produce, consumers are giving their support to local producers as well as helping to revitalize rural economies. Producers benefit through retaining more of the value of their produce, which can help them survive through the current crisis in UK farming. There are also environmental benefits. Creating markets where people can buy produce from local farmers and growers reduces the distance that food travels between producers and consumers, which in turn decreases global environmental pollution. One direct marketing scheme – the farmers’ market – has proved to be particularly popular with local people, producers and the local councils, organizations and institutions who are involved in setting them up. This paper focuses on one such market, the Stour Valley Farmers' Market, which commenced trading on 20th June 1999. Customers who attended the first three of these monthly markets were interviewed to investigate the reasons for their attendance at the market, and their attitudes towards a number of food issues including organic and genetically modified food, local and seasonal food and concerns they may have over the way their food is produced. The research has shown that most customers visited the markets initially out of curiosity, although some attended specifically to buy healthy fresh foods. The vast majority of interviewees expressed a preference for food which is organically grown and free from genetic modification. Organic foods are generally perceived to be healthier and more flavoursome. When buying fresh foods, interviewees stated the importance of quality and freshness in their choice of produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last two years the issue of food has been subject to increasing political controversy with firstly salmonella in eggs and later listeria and BSE becoming the focus of conflict and widespread media attention. This is an important change. In most of the post-war period food policy was conducted within a relatively closed policy community where issues concerning food policy were largely treated as routine technical decisions. The significance of the salmonella in eggs affair is that it is indicative of wider changes in the making of food policy. The increased activity of interest groups, the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy and changes in the retail economy have combined to transform the food policy community into an issue network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]