Palm oil supplier IOI Loders Croklaan surpassed its goal to increase volumes of certified sustainable palm oil to 30% of total European sales last year – and has certified all its plantations to Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards.
The European Commission has agreed new rules to curb speculation in food commodities, in order to avoid a repeat of the global food price spikes seen in 2008.
“The impact of this longer-term erosion of the relationship with consumers will be profound.”
Widely despised and foreseen as an innovation crusher and healthy foods/supplements market wet blanket, we asked how life under the controversial EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) is panning out.
We gave the European food industry a check-up at this year’s Food Ingredients Europe (FiE), talking with some of the industry's top ingredients players about EU health claims, economic recovery and how to remain competitive on a global stage.
Swedish-based confectioner Cloetta has improved its third quarter sales compared to the same period last year as most Scandinavian confectionery markets as well as Italy registered growth.
“There is an urgent need for a fresh approach dealing with the EU’s immovable commitment to harmonise maximum levels for vitamins and minerals”
Just commissioned research aims to to help resolve the stalemate that exists in the EU over maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for vitamins and minerals with a novel approach.
Halloween confectionery sales are expected to grow in line with the overall market in Europe, but there are notably differences among EU countries, according to industry association Caobisco.
The European Commission has passed a law meaning generic descriptors for food and beverage products which could be construed as health claims will only be allowed if they have been in use for more than 20 years.
As the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) welcomed a broad range of stakeholders to its Italian HQ today to debate data and process transparency, the food industry asked at what point openness brakes innovation and competitive advantage?
Forecast butter and milk powder shortages could limit the EU’s ability to keep up with domestic and global demand, according to chocolate and confectionery trade group CAOBISCO.
Scandinavian confectioner Cloetta has reported profit gains in the face of weak markets in Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands in the second quarter (Q2).
Pressure from discount retailers is compelling the German chocolate industry to explore export markets, according to the domestic confectionery association BDSI.
Russia has placed new trade sanctions on the import of Ukrainian chocolate and other consumer goods in retaliation for a Ukrainian emergency import tax on cars.
The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has rejected Nestlé’s application to trademark the four-finger Kit-Kat shape after opposition from Mondelez International-owned Cadbury.
European institutions reached a deal on reforming the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on Wednesday, including a compromise that will end sugar quotas by 2017.
The European Commission has released a fourth round of out-of-quota sugar for the current marketing year at reduced levies in a bid to boost EU supplies as prices soar above world levels.
The European Commission has said there is enough competition from ADM and Cargill to make Barry Callebaut’s $950m acquisition of Petra Foods’ Ingredients division free from competition concerns.
The European Commission and member states have voted to ban a flavouring compound, following an EFSA opinion on its safety published last week, which found that the ingredient was of concern.
Now that the dust has settled on the health claims submission process we should all be very clear on the rules of engagement. Well kind of, says Nigel Baldwin, chief consultant in Intertek’s European office.
Aggrieved companies and trade groups have already mounted legal actions against the EU’s strict health claim laws – they are in process – but the regulation’s workings could face fresh challenge from governments signed up to the World Trade Organization...
The Belgian confectionery association Choprabisco is considering applying for protected geographical indication for Belgian chocolate to protect authentic producers from imitations.
Food and drink production in the EU remained flat in the fourth quarter of last year as some raw materials became costlier, according to data from FoodDrinkEurope.
The EU’s sugar quota fell three million metric tons short of demand in 2012 leading to an 11% price hike, but the deficit is not expected to increase due to stagnant demand for sugar-based foods and health concerns, according to market analysts Euromonitor...
On the day 27 associations issued a joint open letter imploring the EU to keep to its word and scrap widely despised sugar quotas across the bloc in 2015 - not 2020 as the sugar industry wants - Tate & Lyle Sugars jumped into the debate by saying...
EU sugar quotas have created instability, a sugar producer “oligopoly” and have dealt a “harsh blow” to small-to-medium sized confectioners, according to an independent think tank.
Charging the private sector for European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) work will not generate enough cash and compromise the agency’s independence, a European Commission working group has found.
Scandinavia’s largest confectioner Cloetta has reported a 20% fall in earnings for 2012 due to a weak Italian market, higher sugar prices and a "sugar tax" in Denmark.
The European Sugar Users Association (CIUS) has criticised the European Commission’s out-of-quota sugar measures which it claims have left sugar users unable to plan ahead.
Should the EU extend sugar quotas until 2020 any temporary measures to improve supply for food manufacturers will have little impact on prices and availability, according to Nestlé.
The European Parliament Agriculture Committee's vote to extend EU sugar quotas until 2020 will have a negative impact on the confectionery industry and puts small and medium sized manufacturers at risk, according to European Sugar Users association...
Germany confectionery exports were at the lowest level since 2005 last year as the market was hit hard by EU sugar shortages, according to the German confectionery Association (BDSI).
Sugar refiner Tate & Lyle Sugars will take its fight against the European Commission for alleged mismanagement of the European sugar market to court today.
An analyst from Rabobank expects the European cocoa grind to pick up this year after data released today showed 2012 figures were the lowest in seven years.
Regulation is needed on functional barriers which tackles the problem of migration of known and unknown food contact material components from recycled paperboard, according to scientists.
There was a surprising lag in the launch of new products containing stevia in Europe last year – but look out for a sharp increase in 2013, says Euromonitor International’s head of ingredients research John Madden.
The UK Department of Health (DoH) has issued health claims guidance that makes it clear official European Union wordings are flexible but warns companies not to go too far.
Nestlé may have stopped rivals producing products in the shape of its four-finger Kit Kat after an earlier decision blocking its trademark was overturned on appeal following a dispute with Cadbury.
