All articles by Richard Clarke – Page 2

  • News

    Police clampdown over false alarms

    2007-09-08T00:00:00Z

    One in three retail sites are blacklisted by police at any given time because of false alarms leading to time-wasting call outs, according to new research. The survey of 40 retailers by managed security specialist SSS found that 98% of...

  • News

    WORLD NEWS - Heinz sells Olivine stake for £3.4m

    2007-09-08T00:00:00Z

    Heinz sells Olivine stake for £3.4m HARARE, ZIMBABWE: The Zimbabwean government has taken control of food company Olivine Industries after buying HJ Heinz's 49% stake in the business. It has paid US$6.8m (£3.4m) for the stake in the company...

  • News

    Spar to reduce bag usage by a quarter

    2007-08-25T00:00:00Z

    Spar UK has pledged to reduce its use of plastic carrier bags by 25%. The retail group has given itself until the end of next year to meet the target, and will do so by training staff to be more aware of the number of bags they offer and through ...

  • News

    Unilever axe set to fall on IT arm

    2007-08-25T00:00:00Z

    Hundreds of jobs are at risk in north Wales as Unilever begins a major cull of its workforce. The food giant is in talks about outsourcing the IT work carried out at its office at Ewloe, Flintshire, to a contractor. The move follows Unilever's...

  • News

    Suppliers' pre-emptive strike against salt reduction lobby

    2007-08-25T00:00:00Z

    Industry bodies in Europe are taking steps to seize control of the salt reduction agenda - and head off pressure from the European Commission. CIAA, the umbrella organisation for Europe's manufacturing associations, is consulting members - including...

  • News

    Suppliers to reconsider if survey slates GDAs

    2007-07-30T00:00:00Z

    Manufacturers say they will reconsider their commitment to Guideline Daily Amounts as the best form of front-of-pack signpost labelling if a major survey by the Food Standards Agency provides evidence the scheme doesn't work. The...

  • News

    Expanding Innocent ramps up staff levels

    2007-07-30T00:00:00Z

    Innocent Drinks is to increase its staff numbers by a third in a bid to manage continued rapid growth at home and ambitious expansion plans abroad. The smoothie supplier wants to grow its 210-strong workforce by 70, with about half of...

  • Profiles

    In Brief: Warby promoted; Britvic departure; Society marketer; Blyth's replacement; Cheesman signs up

    2007-07-30T00:00:00Z

    Warby promoted  Scottish & Newcastle UK's innovation director, Sarah Warby, has been promoted to marketing director - the latest move in a string of top-level promotions. She will replace Tim Seager, who moved to acting MD UK last month. She has...

  • News

    Inquiry turns the screws

    2007-03-31T00:00:00Z

    Once again the Competition Commission has promised to turn the screw on suppliers as it mounts another bid to uncover evidence of a 'waterbed effect' in grocery. The Commission, which has been under pressure to reconsider its position on...

  • News

    Cards to ease pressure if flu pandemic strikes

    2007-03-31T00:00:00Z

    Consumers would be urged to pay with credit and debit cards in the event of a flu pandemic to prevent stores running out of change if staff illness made it difficult to replenish tills. Plans for the measure were developed as part of...

  • News

    Lower-fat milk key in reformulation agenda

    2007-03-31T00:00:00Z

    The Food Standards Agency is to urge Brussels to relax the rules governing the sale of milk to enable the marketing of lower-fat lines. The EU's Drinking Milk Regulations set strict parameters for fat levels in skimmed, semi-skimmed and...

  • News

    Labels: they're at it again

    2007-03-24T00:00:00Z

    Plans are afoot to create yet another consumer-facing mark for food and drink - this time to flag up that a product meets official advice on healthy lifestyles. The government has written a letter addressed to "interested parties" to...

  • News

    Shepherds Purse in Fine Fettle for future

    2007-03-17T00:00:00Z

    Fine Fettle Yorkshire Cheese is the new name for Yorkshire Feta cheese, The Grocer can reveal. Manufacturer Shepherds Purse Cheeses has been forced into the change by a contentious Brussels decision to award Protected Designation of...

  • News

    Make store turbine consent easier and faster says Leahy

    2007-03-17T00:00:00Z

    Sir Terry Leahy has called for a planning shake-up to facilitate the erection of wind turbines on stores. In a speech to the Green City Initiative, a summit held to address environmental issues in business, the Tesco chief executive said...

  • News

    Salt substitutes raise health hazard fears

    2007-02-17T00:00:00Z

    Not enough is known about salt substitutes to be sure none of them is harmful to health, it is claimed. The Food Standards Agency's efforts to persuade food manufacturers to cut sodium levels in processed foods has resulted in increased...

  • News

    Müller warns inquiry of supermarket power

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    Any further growth in the power of the big four supermarkets could harm consumers, Müller Dairy UK has told the Competition Commission. In a letter to the Commission's grocery inquiry team, the yoghurt manufacturer's supply chain...

  • News

    Jersey traders blast supermarket plans

    2006-12-16T00:00:00Z

    Business leaders in Jersey have warned that building a new supermarket would not lead to lower grocery prices on the island. Developer Le Masurier has applied to build a £25m retail complex in St Helier and is in talks with an unnamed UK...

  • News

    GDA awareness drive kicks off with website

    2006-12-04T00:00:00Z

    The industry's campaign to educate the public about front-of-pack Guideline Daily Amount labelling began in earnest this week with the launch of a consumer-facing website. The site - at www.whatsinsideguide.com - is the first step in the...

  • News

    Health claims face gag from EU regs

    2006-12-02T00:00:00Z

    Many health claims made for popular foods will have to be watered down or ditched altogether as a result of new European legislation, experts have warned. Full implementation of the European Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, which...

  • News

    Planning authorities come under the Commission glare

    2006-12-02T00:00:00Z

    It has quizzed retailers, wholesalers and suppliers. Now it's planners' turn. This week the Competition Commission fired off questionnaires to every planning authority in England, Wales and Scotland as part of its investigation into UK...