Traffic light labelling debate heats up
September 30, 2008

Health and consumer groups are calling for an overhaul of food packaging regulations following the release of new research carried out by Ipsos-Eureka Social Research Institute, which suggested the ‘traffic light’ labeling system would assist consumers in their decision-making process. The survey of nearly 800 shoppers from Newcastle and Sydney, commissioned by a group of health and consumer groups including the Cancer Council and CHOICE, found 81 per cent of shoppers could correctly identify... ...Read more »

Trends provide “glimmer of light” for food retailers
September 30, 2008

A turnover increase of 0.3% for August was outlined in today’s release of retail trade trend estimates, with food retail one of the leading performers. According to the Australian Retail Association’s Executive Director, Richard Evans, the increase in August 2008 retail trade is notice for Canberra to hold a steady hand to the wheel of government and provide confidence to the community. “The August Retail Trade Trends are only a glimmer of light for retailers who have been suffering... ...Read more »

Cadbury recalls Chocolate Eclairs in wake of Chinese milk scandal
September 30, 2008

Confectionery giant Cadbury has withdrawn 11 products made in China, one of which - Chocolate Eclairs - is sold in Australia. Cadbury instigated a precautionary recall of Chocolate Eclairs from retailers shelves yesterday afternoon after preliminary tests revealed melamine, the chemical at the centre of the milk scandal, may be in the product. The company added that Pascal Eclairs, which are made in Australia, were not affected by the recall. The amount of melamine found is not yet known, but FSANZ... ...Read more »

Affordable premiumisation and healthy innovation boost Britain’s biggest brands
September 30, 2008

The results of TNS Worldpanel’s annual Biggest Brands survey for Marketing magazine show significant growth for brands who offer innovation in the areas of healthy eating and/or ‘affordable’ premium products. Cadbury came out on top of this year’s biggest brands list with sales of up to £590 million. Heinz, Kellogg’s, Walkers Crisps and Warburtons rounded out the top five biggest brands in Britain. Brands such as Walkers (+11%), McVitie’s (+16%), Danone (+11)... ...Read more »

Productivity Commission over-reaches on paid maternity leave: ACCI, ARA
September 30, 2008

The Australian Retailers Association and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have welcomed the Productivity Commission’s recommendation that a paid parental leave scheme would be tax-payer funded but remain concerned about the financial burden of compliance costs to SME (small to medium) retailers. The plan proposed provides 18-weeks of tax-payer funded leave for working mothers and two-weeks for working fathers. It would also result in an overhaul of the current baby bonus arrangement,... ...Read more »

Wal-Mart to cut plastic bag use by 33 per cent
September 30, 2008

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the world’s largest retailer, has joined the growing list of retailers pledging to lower their plastic bag use. The US-based company has committed to reducing its global plastic shopping bag waste by an average of 33 per cent per store by 2013. This is expected to eliminate more than 135 million pounds of plastic waste globally. To reach this goal, Wal-Mart will reduce the number of bags given out by its stores, encourage the use of reusable bags and give customers the... ...Read more »

Snacks first to go from shopping baskets, dining out biggest casualty
September 29, 2008

While the majority of Australians (94%) claim to be extremely or somewhat concerned about continuing inflation over the next 12 months, interest rate hikes have little effect on the spending patterns of two in five Aussies, according to a recent Internet survey conducted by The Nielsen Company. The study did suggest, however, that dining out and purchases of common snack foods will decline, as economic pressure intensifies. According to Nielsen, while one in five (22%) Australians will immediately... ...Read more »

Doing more with less: Successful strategies overcome the turbulence
September 29, 2008

New research has established a number of methods to assist CPG companies prosper in spite of rising economic pressure and falling consumer demand, with important lessons for companies of all sizes. Top performers in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry achieved 3.6 per cent sales growth over and above category average while decreasing their sales costs as a percent of sales by 6.1 per cent over two years, according to the 2008 Customer and Channel Management Survey: Doing More with Less: Winning... ...Read more »

Grill’d finds health and convenience focus serves it well
September 29, 2008

Grill’d, one of Australia’s fastest growing franchises, is set to open their 21st store just four and a half years after the concept was launched in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn. The achievements of Grill’d, like other recent success stories Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar and SumoSalad, can, to some degree, be put down to a focus on providing a healthier version of a much-loved product. In Crust’s case it was the pizza, for Grill’d it is the iconic burger. Their focus was... ...Read more »

New pasta to suit Aussie tastes
September 29, 2008

A new, brighter, deep-yellow pasta that meets Aussie tastes and cooking style will be the culinary end product of an improved durum wheat variety bred by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to be released to growers next year, the NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, has advised.”The new variety has been given the name Caparoi, an appropriate name derived from the Italian word capitano which means ‘leader’,” Minister Macdonald said. “I expect Caparoi... ...Read more »

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