Speciality Food September 2025

16 @specialityfood sustainability policy landscape, information about the latest frameworks and standards for manufacturers, priority areas for businesses to action upon, and information on FDF activities that can help members achieve their own green ambitions. Each toolkit also includes resources businesses need to undertake self-assessments, helping them to understand their current environmental impact, and potential areas for improvement. That could be engaging with industry initiatives to help build sustainability through supply chains, promoting regenerative farming, or standardising carbon reporting. Emma Piercy, head of climate change and energy policy at the FDF, said, “Achieving our sector’s ambitious net zero and nature targets will take proactivity and collaboration, with each business recognising the part they have to play in tackling critical climate issues. “We recognised that the sustainability policy landscape is complex, and that food and drink manufacturers will all be at different Food & Drink Federation launches member toolkits to combat emissions The FDF has released details of the next phase of its Ambition 2030 initiative – including aims to help halve emissions across the agri-food supply chain in the next five years – and announced the launch of five member toolkits which cover each strategic pillar of the Ambition 2030 programme. As part of its Ambition 2030 initiative (which aims to halve emissions across the entire agri-food supply chain by 2030), The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has announced the next phase of its plans. Food consumption accounts for more than a fifth of the UK’s total carbon emissions. At the same time, half of the UK’s Plastic Pacts targets are likely to not be met, and 18% of food waste occurs during manufacturing. Together these details mean the stakes are high when it come to sustainability in Britain’s food and drink industry. The organisation’s five new member toolkits cover every strategic pillar of its Ambition 2030 programme – Net Zero, Nature Restoration, Sustainable Commodities, Food Waste and Packaging. Each toolkit has been designed to work for businesses at any stage of their sustainability journey, whether they’re just at the start, or are looking to push themselves further. The kits provide practical steps, advice and guidance, including detailed insights into the current stages in their sustainability journeys, that’s why we’ve created these new Ambition 2030 toolkits, giving businesses the support and guidance they need to contribute to our collective action on climate progress towards their sustainability goals.” Ambition 2030 is the flagship sustainability strategy for UK food and drink manufacturers, setting out the sector’s role in tackling climate change, outlining how each business can contribute towards a more sustainable future for the industry, while also setting out a vision for collaborations between manufacturers and policy makers. It seeks to reduce carbon emissions across the agrifood supply chain in Britain by 50% by 2030, improve habitats in the face of nature crisis, address supply chains for commodities which are contributing to deforestation, halve per capita food waste, and to contribute towards a world class packaging recycling system in Britain. Progress reports will be published each year, measuring success and delivering case studies so members can see change in action. For further information contact louise.barnes@artichokehq.com 01206 508629 Coming next issue CONFECTIONERY & CHOCOLATE BUYER Rising inflation and economic uncertainty are having a huge impact on UK shoppers. Print, digital and social news channels have been filled with doom and gloom over the past fewweeks, as financial analysts and economic experts deliver their predictions for this September’s Autumn Budget. Capital Gains tax on householders, changing to IHT, and other measures the Treasury could be considering, have spooked consumers, experts say, with optimistic spending seen in the beginning of the summer, in response to the UK’s bright, warmweather, dipping. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said, “While consumer confidence in the economy crept up this month, it remains 24 points lower than a year ago, with older generations seeing the biggest falls. Full-time workers were far more optimistic than those working part- time, unemployed, or retirees, reflecting that they were also the only group who expected their financial position to improve in the next three months. With prices rising, and food inflation predicted to hit 6% by the end of the year, households are expected to spendmore on retail goods in the coming months, with groceries showing the biggest increase.” Helen said rising food inflation will make it increasing harder to lift consumer confidence “out of the doldrums”. “Belief in the economy has stayed stubbornly below -30 for six of the last sevenmonths, a far cry from the net positive sentiment in July 2024. Consumers see rising prices, gap-toothed high streets, and reports of large businesses falling into administration. Much rides on the Chancellor’s plans for retail, hospitality and leisure, and only a significant reduction in the business rates burden can bring about the levels of investment needed to reinvigorate Britain’s high streets and town centres.” The latest CPI inflation figures show headline inflation rising to 3.8%, and food inflation rising to 4.9%, with households feeling the pinch as the cost of their weekly shop climbs. Kris Hamer, director of insight at the BRC, said, “The Bank of England has been clear that government policies, which have driven up the costs of employment, are fuelling price rises at the till, while poor harvests and global instability have also added further cost pressures. There was some limited relief for consumers as clothing and footwear inflation remained subdued while certain everyday food items such as olive oil, butter and cheese did fall in price on the month.” Retailers, Kris added, have been doing everything in their power to prevent price rises, but the swathe of costs they now face has left themno room to manoeuvre. “The Chancellor must avoid burdening the industry with evenmore taxes this autumn. Instead, she has an opportunity to encourage much needed investment in our high streets by ensuring the planned reforms to business rates offer a significant reduction for retail properties, and leave no shop paying more.” All eyes are now on the outcome of the budget and the impact it will have on consumers, retailers and the wider economy. Consumer confidence dwindles in the UK TheChancellormust avoidburdening the industrywithevenmore taxes thisAutumn