Vion Food has announced plans to sell its Winsford processing operations to Morrisons.

The deal will see the Cheshire-based meat processing site and all staff transfer to Farmers Boy Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morrisons.

Tesco’s dominance over the grocery market has slipped, dipping below 30% for the first time since May 2005, the latest grocery share figures from Kantar Worldpanel has shown.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has announced that Mike Whittemore has been appointed to the new position of trade team marketing manager for Eblex.

Tulip boss Steve Murrells is to return to retail after being appointed chief executive of the Co-operative Group’s food business.

Frozen food retailer Iceland has recalled its own brand frozen lamb mince products as a precaution after salmonella was found in a test sample.

Pig and poultry producers, processors and butchers are being given the chance to claim a £1,000 prize if they can come up with the latest innovation to drive the sector forward.

The ABN Innovation Award 2012, which is open to anyone with an idea for adding greater value to the industries, aims to highlight the very best ideas to help tackle some of the challenges currently being faced by the pig and poultry food production chain.

A new survey has found that 60% of consumers aged 18-24 would like more information when buying meat.

Scotch Beef is the biggest-selling Scottish food and drink brand in Great Britain, research has revealed. British sales of Scotch Beef have reached over £247m, surpassing all other food and drink brands from Scotland, Kantar Worldpanel said at a Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) marketing conference.

A halal business is mourning the loss of one of its managers after he was allegedly murdered on a trip home to Pakistan.

The Co-operative Group has started work on a new 477,000sq ft food distribution centre in north Derbyshire, which will distribute approximately 40,000 cases of meat and meat products a week and service 529 stores in the Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire areas.

Asda has seen a “significant” increase in meat sales following the decision to convert in-store butchery counters to carry the Butcher’s Selection branding, according to the company’s senior red meat trader Jim Viggars.

Tesco’s shares have plummeted after the retailer announced that Christmas trading was “well below expectations”.

Tesco PLC shares fell 15% this morning following the release of the company’s Christmas and New Year Trading Statement, which reported a 2.3% fall in like-for-like sales excluding VAT and fuel.

Pig bosses have launched a survey looking for views on the state of the industry across the board.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said that the strong December trading figures reflected a combination of “major one-off” factors rather than indicating a solid resurgence in the retail sector.

Morrisons saw a slowdown in like-for-like sales over the Christmas trading period, despite a boost in customer numbers.

NFU vice-president Meurig Raymond has asked the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to encourage members to invest in British pork.

The appeal came after a speaker at the Oxford Farming Conference revealed that 58% of the pigmeat consumed in the UK was imported, mostly from countries with lower welfare standards.

The meat industry has hit back against calls from a former government advisor for a dramatic reduction in meat consumption to fight obesity and climate change.


Professor Tim Lang, who has advised the World Health Organisation and the Department for Environment on food policy, told The Telegraph that meat consumption was “out of control” and said people should return to the past tradition of saving meat for special occasions.

Agriculture minister Jim Paice has reasserted Defra’s commitment to implement the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), after concerns emerged over possible delays.

Bpex’s has hailed its ‘Pork Promise’ campaign a success and claims that more shoppers are now actively looking for Red Tractor logo pork products.

The campaign, launched in autumn 2011, used outdoor poster, print and online advertisments and social media activity to highight the reasons to choose quality-assured pork and explain the standards behind the Red Tractor logo.

Consumers are being urged to write to their MPs to persuade them to support a parliamentary early day motion (EDM) which calls for improved country-of-origin labelling (COOL) on meat and meat products.

The UK has a voluntary code of conduct, but the European Parliament (EP) voted in favour of extending country-of-origin labelling to fresh meat from pigs, sheep, goat and poultry across member states, in July last year.

A Scotch Beef campaign which helped increase sales of beef in London by 30% has been shortlisted for a major award by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

British Sausage Week (BSW) generated £15.5m worth of total media coverage, up from the annual five year average of £11.4m, with increased sales of sausages of around £2m, according to organisers Bpex.

The 14th annual nationwide PR campaign ran from 31 October to 6 November and was fronted by Slade front man Noddy Holder. As well as the primary consumer campaign to drive positive media coverage and reaffirm sausages as a favourite, convenient and intrinsically British food, it was intended to provide a platform to promote the category more widely.  

A new report from WRAP has raised questions over the assumption that supermarket promotions cause food waste.

Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) has advised consumers to cook their Christmas turkey at home to cut salt levels by over 50%.

Interview with Kantar Worldpanel communications director Ed Garner. As consumers cut down on their going-out budget, there is an opportunity for retailers to capitalise on premium food.

Budgens has ramped up its a pre-Christmas marketing campaign with an extensive radio campaign, which is being aired over 29 radio channels in the run-up to Christmas.

The food charity FareShare is calling on the meat industry to work with it to redistribute surplus product to thousands of people facing hunger in the UK.

Retail expert Mary Portas has issued a stark warning to the high street, saying that shops need to provide something new if they want to compete in the changing face of British retail.

Portas was commissioned by the government to conduct an independent review on the future of UK town centres and high street. Publishing her review today (13 December), she has come up with 28 points which she believes will create sustainable high streets of the future.  

Standard turkey production has once again come under fire after animal welfare leaders claimed an increasing demand for higher-welfare products could outstrip supply.

According to the RSPCA, more than one in three adults (34%) would choose a higher-welfare turkey, either Freedom Food or free-range, this Christmas, while just 10% would go for the cheapest. However, the charity pointed out that only 7% of turkey production falls under the Freedom Food standards.

November saw the worst sales growth in UK retail for six months, with subdued food sales little changed from October’s 5-month low, figures from the British Retail Consortium have revealed.

Meat processors, along with other businesses, have been urged to plan ahead in preparation for a potential summer drought. An Environment Agency report has revealed that water shortage was very likely after one of the driest springs on record.

Red Lion Foods will offer Christmas meals to two families who have members serving abroad this year, as part of an online competition.

Marks & Spencer is increasing its venison range for Christmas, after recording a 78% rise in sales in stores across the UK and Ireland.

Health protection experts have warned that chicken liver pâté is a major source of camplybacter infection in the UK, accounting for 90% of outbreaks at catering venues in 2011.

According to figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA), there have been a total of 18 outbreaks of campylobacter infection in the UK this year, with more than 443 people taken ill. Fourteen of these outbreaks occured in catering venues and 13 of these were linked to chicken or duck liver pâté.

A Norfolk poultry producer has negotiated a temporary pay-cut with its 600 staff in order to see it through financial difficulties.

The European Commission (EC) is calling for changes in packaging in an effort to reduce food waste. Labels could soon display two dates to avoid customers throwing away food that is still safe.

The Co-operative has recalled "a limited number" of its British beef roasting joints due to incorrect labelling. The packs displayed a 'use by' date of 22 and 23 December 2011 instead of 5 December 2011.

Sainsbury’s has announced it recalled some of its beef range earlier this month, but stressed it was down to quality problems, and not food safety.

A new study suggests that the correlation between prostate cancer and red meat is driven primarily by overcooking on a grill or barbecue.

Eblex has welcomed the news that lamb offal had been made available from the meat counter at Waitrose, saying it would help maximise carcase value.

Household food waste has fallen by 13% over the past three years, with significant benefits to the environment and the UK economy.

A Suffolk beef and sheep farmer has started an e-petition asking for mandatory front-of-pack labelling on non-UK meat in supermarkets and other food outlets. Jeremy Perkins started the initiative when he found a campaign supporting UK troops on a pack of meat produced in South America at Sainsbury’s.

Perth-based organic livestock and poultry farmer Hugh Grierson will be supplying meat to the first Scottish Whole Foods store opening near Glasgow on 16 November.

Medical experts have dismissed claims that new research proves that eating overcooked meat is twice as likely to cause cancer than previously thought.

The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has expressed concern that ministers are considering making CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses to monitor animal welfare.

Ministers are currently deciding whether to make the installation of CCTV mandatory to monitor welfare in slaughterhouses, according to a paper from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The paper, which will be presented to the FSA’s Board meeting on 15 November 2011, discusses the current level of uptake of CCTV for animal welfare monitoring in slaughterhouses and covers some of the issues and benefits of installing CCTV.

Householders are benefitting from supermarket price wars, which are having a dramatic impact on the price of food, according to the latest anaylsis from the British Retail Consortium.

Online grocer Ocado has become the latest UK retailer to ban the controversial speciality foie gras. The decision comes after animal welfare group PETA wrote to the retailer asking it to remove the product from its virtual shelves.

The British Sausage Week launched on Monday 31 October. It is an opportunity for butchers and retailers to showcase their products, engage differently with customers and communicate with the media.

Premier Foods has announced substantial changes to its leadership team following a year-on-year decline, which has resulted in the company announcing the sell-off of many of its brands.

The organisation claims its 10 new cuts, developed from the loin, leg, forequarter and breast using seam butchery techniques, could improve gross margins by 20%.

Bacon and meat processor Tulip has developed a new premium sausage brand, which will be launched in Tesco, the Co-op and other major retailers in November.

Red Tractor is running a national campaign promoting assured standards food and traceable sourcing through the revival of the traditional Sunday lunch. Targeting consumers through radio, digital platforms, a website and in-store activity, the campaign will encourage people to look out for the Red Tractor logo in supermarkets until the end of November.

Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) ‘Perfect Steaks and Roasts’ phone application has been awarded a top marketing accolade. Judged at the Scottish Creative Awards, the app features instructions, recipes and tips on how to cook Scotch Beef and Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.

A new survey has found that 94% of consumers believe the animal welfare standards for fresh meat should also apply to frozen and processed foods, with 98% believing that supermarkets should enforce the same standards of animal welfare on imported meat as on meat from British farms. 

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has launched a scheme to promote the use of Scotch beef and lamb in cooking lessons at school. It offers vouchers of up to £100 for secondary schools to buy their meat at local retailers.

Protein sources such as meat and fish could be the key to curbing appetites and reducing obesity, according to new international research.

American retailer Walmart announced yesterday that Ed Chan, head of the company’s stores in China, had resigned “for personal reasons”. The resignation comes a week after the supermarket chain got into trouble with the Chinese authorities over ‘organic’ labelling of regular pork.

Tesco has defended the integrity of its £500m Big Price Drop initiative, claiming that price rises in the weeks leading up to the promotion were due to inflation.

A Tesco spokesperson said: “Given the current economic situation and inflation levels, it is not surprising, and a factor for every supermarket, that some prices on some products will have gone up in the weeks before the Big Price Drop.

The RWM Food Group has announced a plan to consult with staff over potential redundancies following the loss of a major retail contract.

The business, which was acquired by ABP UK earlier this week, said it had suffered the cancellation of a “substantial” order for retail packed meat from a major multiple retail customer.

The NFU has welcomed Sainsbury’s commitment to double the amount of British food on its shelves by 2020.

Asda is hoping to reduce CO2 emissions by 186,000 tonnes with a new type of grass for its cattle and sheep. Developed in Britain, Aber High Sugar Grass (HSG) is meant to cut methane emissions by 20% per animal, as well as limit feed costs by providing better nutrition.

The NFU has welcomed the results of the latest Eblex beef and lamb watch survey, which shows that 83% of meat packs stocked in chiller cabinets are produced in Great Britain.

Freedom Food is launching an ad campaign stressing its link with the RSPCA in an effort to stand out from other higher-welfare labels.

Premier Foods today reported 3Q group results ‘significantly below expectation’, announcing that it will dispose of many of its businesses to concentrate on eight core brands, as a result of its recent underperformance.

The Co-operative Group’s strong animal welfare record has helping it scoop a top RSPCA award for the third year running.

Tesco has released its interim results for 2011/2012 today, which show the retailer lagging behind competitors despite recent price cuts. Although there was an 8.8% growth in total sales across the Tesco Group, UK growth was slow, with trading profits up only 4.5% in the first half.

Scotland rugby ace Chris Paterson is praising the nutritional qualities of red meat in a new healthy eating campaign.

Asda triumphed at the British Turkey Awards dinner at the Globe Theatre in London, taking the title of retailer of the year for the breadth of its year-round range of turkey products. 

City analysts have applauded Tesco’s new price positioning strategy as the right move for the retailer, but warned that it risks destabilising the sector.

Tesco has launched the first-ever Sunday roast sandwich as part of a new range of meat-based fillings inspired by the revival of British cuisine.

Regional specialities such as Welsh Beef & Lamb, Traditional Cumberland Sausages and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies are being forgotten by the British public, according to a new survey by Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC).

Eblex is launching a new prize-giving campaign in a bid to boost sales of Red Tractor beef and lamb.

A flock of sheep worth up to £100,000 has been stolen from a farm in Lincolnshire, raising fears that the meat will enter the food chain illegally through unregulated abattoirs. 

Waitrose has posted another period of industry-leading growth, showing a steady increase in grocery market share and healthy like-for-likes sales, as Ocado launches a new customer loyalty discount scheme.

Country of origin labelling (COOL) may be motivated by protectionism and could lead to the decline of inter-European trade, delegates at the sixth annual Belgian Meat Roundtable were warned.

Uruguyan meat suppliers have hit out at Daily Mail reports attacking its industry, following a row between Asda and UK farmers.

The Catholic Church has called for worshippers in England and Wales to return to the centuries-old tradition of abstaining from eating meat on a Friday.

Meat industry representatives have refuted claims that meat production is unsustainable and facing imminent decline.

Over the past few weeks, The Guardian, The Independent and the Daily Mail have all run stories suggesting that we are facing a reduction in meat sales, citing a myriad of reasons including price inflation, climate change, health concerns and high-profile anti-meat campaigns.

Pork sales are booming as bargain-hunting shoppers switch to cheaper cuts for the Sunday roast, according to latest sales data from Morrisons.

Retailers have hit back at ministers’ claims that supermarket ‘sell-by’ dates are to blame for food waste.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron put beef exports firmly on the agenda during a visit to Russia this week.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a Tesco sausage advert, branding it as ‘misleading’.

The latest figures released by Kantar Worldpanel for August show that the discount stores have continued to grow their market share in the 12 weeks ending 4 September 2011. 

Welsh lamb bosses are hoping for a boost with the launch of a major £800,000 marketing campaign to extol the virtues of their meat.

Morrisons returned positive half-year results, with profits of £449m, it announced this morning.

Following one bid last month from Greencore for Northern Foods, Boparan Holdings Ltd, owner of the 2 Sisters Food Group and run by Ranjit Boparan, is considering joining the bidding arena. However, Northern Foods' board has turned a blind eye to the bid overture and has continued recommending the Greencore merger to its shareholders.

One of the largest retailers in the world, Tesco, announced it is seeing a "steady consumer recovery in the UK" as it announced sales that were better than the market expected over the past quarter. Tesco worldwide delivered a 7% rise in overall sales, with UK like-for-like sales rising by 1.5% up on analysts' expectations of a rise of only 1%.

Tesco is set to open a chain of franchise convenience stores in unspecified overseas markets. This follows a successful trial in South Korea. Tesco has opened 18 franchise convenience stores in South Korea, which is the group's largest overseas market. The UK's largest grocery supermarket chain will share the cost of opening the stores in other markets and will also share the profits with the franchisees.

Tesco, the country's largest supermarket retailer, has this morning unveiled an 8.8% surge in third quarter sales.

A roast dinner with all the trimmings can contain nearly 10 grams of salt – four grams more than an adult’s maximum for the entire day, according to Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH).

Budgens is embarking on its biggest ever marketing campaign for Christmas 2010.

Latest figures released by international food and grocery analysts IGD, reveal that the UK will spend £182.7bn in grocery retail outlets by 2015 – an average annual growth of 3.9%.

A national food hygiene rating scheme, which will inform consumers where to shop for food by giving information about hygiene standards, has been launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The value of grocery shopping conducted over the internet is predicted to nearly double to £9.5bn in five years compared to its current level of £4.8bn, according to new research published by IGD – the international food and grocery expert.

Greencore, the Irish food supplier, is merging with Northern Foods in a £570m deal. This is good timing for Greencore as the International Monetary Fund has arrived in Ireland in order to bail out the shattered Irish economy.

The Co-operative Group is poised to launch one of its biggest-ever food campaigns, created by its lead agency, TBWA\Manchester.

Wm Morrison says an upturn in commodity prices led to price rises in the third quarter, with aggressive market trading conditions continuing into 2011.

Premier Foods is taking steps to extricate itself from huge debts of £1.37bn. The company is paying £167m to exit loss-making derivatives it used when Premier bought RHM back in 2007.

Customers shopping in supermarkets could be in with a chance of winning £250 during October and November thanks to Eblex.

Sainsbury’s has revealed a new range of Taste the Difference British Traditional Beef, a brand which currently makes almost 20% of the company’s beef sales.

Tesco is aiming to create a real presence in the US by opening many more grocery stores. The loss-making Fresh & Easy chain of US convenience stores on the west coast should move into profitability in 2012-2013.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has sided with Tesco over a press ad for its Finest beef.

Sainsbury's surprised dealers by relaunching its upmarket Taste the Difference food range, which accounts for £1bn-worth of sales. Sainsbury's has reacted to the increasing trend in the UK for eating in and is looking to take market share from Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.

Sainsbury’s is facing court action over what Trading Standards bosses have described as “wasteful packaging” of meat products.

Food entrepreneur Levi Roots has signed a deal to stock his range of meat-based sandwiches in 178 of Morrisons’ stores nationwide.

Pot Noodles are set to get some bite, with the launch of a new range of the snacks containing real meat.

Marks & Spencer is to open its first supermarket in Egypt. This is part of its global expansion, which the retailer attempted a couple of decades ago and then abandoned after the group lost touch with its own UK customers and a root-and-branch reform was put in place.

Premier Foods has come to grief in the highly complicated world of stock market derivatives, reportedly making wrong way bets on derivatives linked to the takeover of RHM, for which it paid £1.2bn.

Online grocer Ocado's much-heralded debut on the stock market recently has failed to convince investors. On its first day the share price dropped by 14% and this was after Ocado had cut its offer price to 180p.

Supermarket groups are taking action on the level of fat in their mince, in the wake of a Local Government Authority (LGA) report, which slammed varying levels and misleading product information on mince products.

Budgens and Londis are launching own-brand ranges of cooked meats with a raft of promotions on offer to customers.

Supermarkets have come under fire for misleading descriptions and inaccurate labels when it comes to low-fat beef mince, according to local government officers.

Sausage, bacon and pork company Cranswick made a robust start to the year, with first-quarter sales booming. Cranswick announced an increase in total sales of 19% in the three months to the end of June. Sales in the period were £198m.

Owned by John Lewis, Waitrose, the upmarket grocery retailer, is expanding its supermarket empire to the Channel Islands. Waitrose is buying five stores from Sandpiper, the local grocery retail chain. Three of the stores are in Jersey and two in Guernsey and have traded under the Safeway and Checkers brand names.

Photographs of last night’s SuperMeat & Fish Awards 2010 are now available to view on the internet.

Quality bacon and sausage company Cranswick revealed a 26% jump in its latest yearly profits. Pre-tax profits rose to £43.8m in the year to the end of March compared with £34.7m in the previous year. Sales were 22% up at £740m.

Tesco is claiming to be the first supermarket to roll out a halal meat barbecue range this summer in time for the football World Cup.