Markets news from Fresh Produce Journal
Essential stories, analysis and research from UK’s fresh produce markets, with a focus on retail, wholesale, marketing, and consumers.
Fertiliser and soil conditioners under consultation in organic standards review
The Soil Association has opened a consultation on whether to raise organic standards in Northern Ireland in line with changes to the EO Organic Regulation
New food school will train market traders and fruiterers
A new location at London’s Royal Docks for meat and fish wholesale markets Smithfield and Billingsgate has been announced along with plans for the on-site school
Junk food TV ban ineffective as companies find loopholes
Government can’t leave progress on healthy food sales to the market, warns Food Foundation in new report
Snacking, spuds and ‘TikTok to table’
Waitrose’s annual food and drink report has revealed the biggest trends set to shape shopper behaviour in 2026
FareShare kicks off Berry Crumply Christmas campaign
FareShare announced the winner of its first Top Chef Crumble Competition in London, with chef Jemma Harrison’s ‘mince pie’ apple and blackberry crumble coming out on top
Family mealtimes ‘don’t correlate with higher veg intake’
Banning screens at meals and parents eating veg as an example are more likely to lead to children eating more veg, finds new report from Veg Power
Musgrave acquires fresh foodservice supplier Delifresh
Irish supply group Musgrave has bought Bradford-based foodservice specialist as part of strategy to ‘capture more market share’ in premium ingredient market
Wrap bags £200,000 Sky Zero Footprint Fund to reenergise recycling
Environmental action group Wrap has received funding from Sky to deliver a 2026 advertising campaign to boost recycling across the UK
Uber Eats to deliver meals by robot in two UK cities
Partnership with Starship will see AI robot deliveries in Sheffield and Leeds begin this winter, with a European and US rollout set to follow
Strong start for South African table grapes
Table grape industry targets close to 80mn export cartons this season despite US tariff challenge and increased competition in Europe
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Aldi UK cuts vegetable prices to 8p for Christmas
Discount retailer returns with Christmas Super Six promotion, but insists it retains full support from growers with whom it has fixed-cost agreements
Minimum wage to rise by 4.1 per cent
Minimum wage will rise by 50p an hour for over 21s under Rachel Reeves’ Autumn budget, while businesses could benefit from lower electricity bills and lower rates for some hospitality and retail properties
Start-ups invited to apply for regen farm ‘match-making’ scheme
Pitch Up! scheme positions farms as business incubators with new food or rural business start-ups invited to apply for innovative circular economy tenancies
Autumn budget is ‘last chance’ to support growers, MPs warn
A cross-party group of MPs have written to Defra warning that closing the UK Fruit and Veg Aid Scheme and PO funding without a replacement on 31 Dec will cause some growers to ‘shut up shop’
Fresh Direct ingredient arm unveils new collection
New range from Fresh Direct-owned Wild Harvest includes black truffle and other premium ingredients aimed at chefs seeking top quality
Pink Lady aims to take bigger bite of European market
Brand’s new marketing message focuses on enjoyment and experience, as it plans major new marketing campaign across Europe
Waitrose Foundation celebrates 20th anniversary milestone
Group looks back on a project that pioneered ethical trade and sustainable supply chains
The creative lab with designs on tastier tomato treats
Tomatelier wants consumers to enjoy tomatoes more, by seeing them less as functional and more as fashionable, with style, emotion, and meaning
Bananas “confirmed as Europe’s favourite fruit” in Fyffes survey
New European-wide consumer research by Fyffes confirms bananas maintain their position as the continent’s most popular fruit, with 89 per cent of consumers having eaten them in the past four weeks
Nanna Tate rolls out Christmas potato packaging
Potato brand gives range a new look to inspire shoppers in lead-up to festive period