All Middle East conflict articles
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NewsMore inflation to come as Iran war costs keep soaring
Elevated fuel and logistics costs due to the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz were singled out as a key driver in the increase in the headline inflation rate this week, which rose from 2.9% in July to 3.1% in August
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NewsFood inflation to hold at 6% through 2026 and 2027, IGD says
The IGD has predicted food inflation will rise to 5.6% to 6.6% in 2027 and remain around 5.3% to 6.3% in 2028
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NewsIran war pushes inflation higher in August despite steady food prices
While food inflation stayed steady on July at 1.3%, transport costs – in particular motor fuel – helped to push headline inflation from 2.9% to 3.1% in August 2026
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NewsMcBride warns of ongoing cost uncertainty after ‘pleasing’ annual results
CEO Chris Smith called the results ‘pleasing’ and said it demonstrated that McBride was a ‘fundamentally more agile and capable business’ than in the past
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NewsWest Bank illegal settlement export ban will make shadow trade ‘unviable’, says NGO
Foreign secretary Ed Miliband described settlements in the Palestinian territory as ‘illegal’, while accusing Israel of pursuing a programme of ’ethnic cleansing’
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NewsChristmas reprieve as FDF slashes food inflation estimates
Shoppers have been handed a Christmas reprieve in the ongoing cost of living crisis, as food inflation will now fall six points short of previous estimates by December
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Comment & OpinionStockpiling won’t solve the UK’s next food supply shock
The rapidly escalating El Niño climate pattern appears to have stimulated the government into thinking more seriously about resilience. Might it start listening to an industry which has been issuing warnings on the subject for some time?
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Comment & OpinionWhen the weather stops playing by the rules
Drought, El Niño, Hormuz disruption and fertiliser costs are converging at once and relying on good weather elsewhere is not a strategy, says Ian Wright, partner at Acuti Associates
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NewsDefra must do more to build resilience to food shocks: NAO
With short and long-term risks becoming ‘potentially more severe’ Defra needed to review its response planning for food supply chain risks, the NAO urged
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NewsCalls for Cobra committee-style mechanism to oversee supply chain challenges
Industry should be at the heart of any government work to bolster resilience and food security, urged Marco Forgione, director general of the Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade
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NewsNext year’s home-grown food production at risk
The NFU delivered the warning as it outlined two ‘key investments’ to support British farmers and growers who ‘are at a financial crisis point’ thanks to the worst drought in 50 years and the ongoing war in the Middle East
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NewsConfidence shows ‘partial recovery’ ahead of crucial budget
A survey of its members by the FDF showed business confidence among food and drink manufacturers was at a score of –31% in Q2 2026
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NewsFuel retailers cleared of price gouging but margins remain high
The CMA says some retailers did not immediately pass reductions in wholesale diesel prices on to drivers in its latest analysis
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NewsFood price rises ease but headline UK inflation back on the increase
Food prices rose more slowly in July with inflation in the industry down from 1.7% to 1.3% as the cost of beef and breaded chicken came down
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NewsReform leader clashes with supermarkets over ‘made in Britain’ sourcing
Reform is calling on supermarkets to extend its British sourcing to a raft of other products, describing the lack of local products as a ‘missed opportunity’
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NewsPrice rises ‘inevitable’ says FDF as fears grow over fruit & veg shortages
FDF Scotland’s David Thomson told the BBC there were ‘significant concerns’ over the availability of many fruit & veg products
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Comment & OpinionHow drought and global conflict could drive UK food inflation this winter
The Chancellor’s real challenge isn’t price gouging, it’s drought, food security and inflation, says Ian Wright, partner at Acuti Associates
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NewsForecourt Eye offers free crime reporting tool as fuel theft rises nearly 20%
The system is designed to enable operators to create and manage ‘police-ready’ reports of fuel theft and retail crime under one integrated system
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NewsFarmers being stonewalled by retailers over cost price increases: NFU
Food producers were often experiencing delay tactics out of a well-established ‘playbook’ over CPI increases, the NFU warned
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Comment & OpinionCan tariff suspensions make your weekly shop cheap?
The latest round of tariff suspensions on food and fertiliser imports has been sold as cost of living relief, but the impact on prices will be limited, says Sahana Suraj, a research assistant at the University of Sussex