Helen Gregory Key industry figures are calling on the food chain across Britain to put up a more united front. Safeway chairman David Webster this week voiced his support for an all-Britain brand, similar to the all-Irish brand proposed by the Republic's agriculture minister Joe Walsh and his Ulster counterpart Brid Rodgers. Speaking at the IGD-organised IFEX Food Conference in Belfast on Wednesday, IGD president Webster said that he believed different parts of Britain could unite to promote the industry, "instead of what is becoming a cumulative fragmentation of branding between the English regions, Scotland and Wales, aided by devolution". And he told The Grocer: "At the moment there's too many bodies and groups." Webster's comments were echoed by Sir Don Curry, chairman of the policy commission on the Future of Farming and Food. He said there was a risk that devolution could hinder the food chain's communication strategy. "There is a risk that as we fragment, our ability to deliver a single, clear message which consumers understand, trust and believe will be deflected," said Curry. "We won't do it unless we merge much of the promotional activity to deliver that strong message." Curry said devolution meant that the country was finding individual solutions but he added: "We are pretty small players on a global stage ­ to find individual solutions to every problem is not appropriate." He added: "Competition is global and we need to organise ourselves to compete." Curry said the new food chain centre was a fundamental part of a transparent food chain and said it was important to know who was contributing, along with the costs involved. He said there was no reason why it shouldn't be seen as a British operation and that he would question why there would be a need to set up a "competing" Northern Irish centre. He acknowledged that Britain would never compete with the lowest cost operators from around the world but that it was important to communicate the value of our product to consumers. l See Opinion, page 20. {{NEWS }}

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