All articles by Ian Quinn
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Comment & OpinionThe government’s new health proposals are hard to swallow
The proposals would be some of the biggest and most controversial moves to hit the industry on health in the past decade
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NewsJunk food ad ban and promos rules to be ratcheted up by Wes Streeting
New documents published by the DHSC reveal ministers are planning to switch to an updated nutrient profiling model, which will bring thousands more products under the bans
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NewsSoft drinks body hires former CBI political chief as new director general
The new hire takes over from BSDA veteran Gavin Partington, who has been in the role since 2012
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NewsGroceries Code Adjudicator seeks suppliers’ views on supermarkets
The Adjudicator last year announced his first investigation since taking on the role, with a probe ongoing into Amazon
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NewsWhich? calls for mandatory front of pack traffic lights
Which? said the inconsistent approach of brands and retailers made it difficult for shoppers to easily compare items and see which were high in fat, sugar or salt
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NewsMore to come says Ken Murphy as Tesco zeroes in on 30% share target
With its market share up 31bps to 29.4%, Tesco has now had 32 consecutive four-week periods of year-on-year gains
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NewsHealthy food pilots planned for deprived areas to tackle obesity
A series of interventions is being lined up by government in a bid to focus the food strategy on areas with the highest levels of obesity
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NewsEPR tax wiping out takeaway packaging suppliers, claim firms
Foodservice packaging suppliers claim an unintended consequence of EPR has seen the foodservice sector substitute UK packaging firms with alternatives from abroad
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NewsBatters plan to turn Adjudicator’s golden rules into law slammed by experts
One of the recommendations of Batters’ Farming Profitability Review, published in December, was for Adjudicator Mark White’s current advisory set of principles over CPIs, published in January 2022, to be given regulatory teeth
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NewsJunk food ban must be extended, health groups tell ministers
The Obesity Health Alliance has written an open letter to health secretary Wes Streeting and culture secretary Lisa Nandy, urging them to remove “loopholes” that allow brands with HFSS products to continue advertising
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Analysis & FeaturesThe Grocer’s unofficial guide to the new HFSS marketing rules
It’s a watershed moment for HFSS food and drink advertising, with new rules now in place to restrict the marketing of key foodstuffs. But what do they mean in practice? And how will retailers and manufacturers approach the restrictions? Here’s everything you ever needed to know but didn’t dare to ask.
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Comment & OpinionToday’s junk food ad ban is a controversial start to 2026
Influential nudge body Nesta has warned the government its new legislation has been gutted to such an extent that it will allow companies to continue promoting unhealthy products
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NewsJunk food advertising ban full of loopholes, say key government advisers
Nudge body Nesta said today’s delayed launch would achieve health gains ‘much smaller’ than they could have been, because of gaps in the legislation
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NewsTesco revives blue and white stripes in new value push
Tesco’s new Everyday Low Prices will be accompanied by the return of the blue and white ‘value’ stripes
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Comment & OpinionEPR increase is a very unwelcome Christmas present
With many companies still reeling from the first set of invoices, the last thing they wanted to hear was that the tab will be substantially higher next time around
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NewsEPR bills will rise by double inflation next year: Defra
The industry’s bill for the extended producer responsibility (EPR) packaging tax is set to rise by tens of millions next year
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NewsRetail carbon emission figures up 11% since launch of landmark roadmap
Five years on from the launch of the BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap, estimated UK retail emissions for 2024 stood at 331 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, compared with 298 million tonnes in 2019
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NewsAdjudicator confronts retailers over ‘persistent’ forecasting and delist issues
In a series of meetings with retailer code compliance officers, Adjudicator Mark White said he was pushing ahead with ‘proportionate action’ to ensure behaviour improved
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NewsSupermarkets launch new £2m Birmingham surplus hub in King Charles’ war on food poverty
The Sir Peter Rigby Coronation Food Hub, in Gravelly Park, Birmingham, opened this week and is aiming to redistribute more than seven million meals across the West Midlands annually
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NewsTesco announces major AI partnership to overhaul retail offer
The deal with fast-growing French startup Mistral AI is part of a broader strategy to embrace AI in its retail offer