Time to deliver In the run up to the general election The Grocer asked senior figures across the food and drink industry to specify what they thought should be the priorities for the new government. With voting over this week, here's a reminder of the measures being called for at a crucial time for the food chain. Now it's up to the politicians to listen and, for once, act Peter Blackburn Chairman and CEO, Nestlé UK My main aim for the next government would be for MAFF to participate with all partners in the food supply chain to set about restoring the image of British food in the eyes of both UK consumers and overseas customers. The UK food chain is providing consumers with more choice, better value, higher quality and greater safety than at any time in the past. Yet the perception among consumers is very different. The government has a key role to play in working with us to regain their trust. Sir Peter Davis Chief executive, Sainsbury We shall seek a balanced inquiry into the state and structure of the food chain. I believe there is insufficient understanding of the cost structure of the supply chain by many of its participants, leading commentators and by the general public. Farmers believe they do not get enough return. We do not deal with them direct but through our suppliers. We must review the chain urgently to reach the best outcome for all participants. Sir Richard George Chairman and md Weetabix The entire food sector should be represented by a single government department led by a minister of cabinet rank. The lesson of recent food related crises is that farmers, manufacturers, processors and retailers must work together and in concert with government and its agencies. This level of cooperation will be essential as we debate and respond to the longer term implications of the foot and mouth disease epidemic. James Hill Chairman, Birds Eye Wall's The quality, safety and choice of product offered by the British food industry has never been greater. But this, unfortunately, is not the current perception. The big challenge, therefore, for the next government is to work closely with food manufacturers and the Food Standards Agency, and also with scientific authorities and the press, to ensure the facts are communicated clearly, and without prejudice, ensuring that the industry has a healthy future. Gerry Johnson Md Booker Cash & Carry Bootlegging is a very important issue that the government must stamp out. It impacts on all our lives ­ it costs Booker money, it seriously disadvantages our independent retail customers and does untold social damage through underage smoking and drinking. The penalties for bootlegging are so light they fail to act as a deterrent. The new government must tackle this problem through bigger fines and custodial sentences as they do for drug smugglers. Jerry Marwood MD Newshops The new government should establish a permanent forum for small retailers, headed by a DTI minister. This would allow us to feed into government policy, and the minister would develop an understanding of our sector. Too often government policy ­ on issues such as bootlegging, the minimum wage and the Post Office ­ seems to penalise small retailers. We need a forum where we can come back with constructive proposals and win concessions that reduce that negative impact. Graham Melmoth Chief executive, Co-operative Group We would like to see a new, wider role for the ministry of agriculture, charged not only with agricultural reform ­ including a rethink of the CAP ­ but also no less a task than the regeneration and revitalisation of the economic life of the countryside. Second we would like to see the Food Standards Agency become a more proactive consumer champion, taking up issues around nutrition such as the need to curb advertising of fatty and sugary foods to children. Morton Middleditch MD, Spar UK I would like the new government to acknowledge it is largely retailers in small stores who support communities in areas not served by the multiples and increasingly deserted by banks and Post Offices. As such neighbourhood stores should be protected through no further erosion of the Sunday trading rules, a reduction in the burden of legislation, more help for rural stores, further action to stamp out bootlegging, a national ID card, and harsher penalties for those who attack staff and property. Alan Smith Chief executive, Somerfield I would like to see the new government take a realistic view towards transport. Retailers must be able to transport goods efficiently to service customers' needs. The future economic wellbeing of the country is very dependent on our transport infrastructure being sufficiently resilient to cope with these increasing demands. Too often, political considerations or the Not In My Back Yard' approach interfere with sensible and urgent decisions about investment in our transport infrastructure. James Walker MD Walker's Shortbread I hope that the new government will adopt a serious long-term attitude to the food manufacturing industry and make life easier for exporters by organising a more stable pound, possibly through a 5% to 7.5% devaluation. I am not in favour of a weak pound but it has been too strong for several years and this has made life difficult for exporters. I would also like the new government to take us into the euro but at a reasonable exchange rate. David Webster Chairman, Safeway, IGD president I would like the next government to redouble its efforts to secure a speedy reform of CAP. We simply cannot continue to subsidise the overproduction of commodity foods. The government should also keep the ministerial responsibility for the food chain undivided. It should support our efforts to re-establish the reputation of British food in foreign markets and rebuild our export trade. And it should work with us to promote changes in the way we organise the meat supply chain. Graham White Chief executive, Londis We should like to see positive steps to encourage productivity improvements by incentivising investment in technology and rolling back the expansion of red tape which is placing ever more onerous burdens on companies at all levels in the convenience sector. The state is gradually passing down to the private sector social obligations that should be more properly dealt with by the government such as Working Families' Tax Credit, Paternity Leave, Stakeholder Pensions, and so on. {{NEWS }}

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