SECTOR MUST PROMOTE HEALTH BENEFITS

Despite the fact that fresh fruit and vegetables offer the general public many potential benefits, particularly when it comes to nutrition, health and the environment, consumers continue to take them for granted, according to European industry association Freshfel Europe.
What's more, other sectors in the meantime are increasingly abusing the positive image of fresh produce for their own marketing purposes, the organisation has claimed.
For that reason, it has called on the fresh produce sector at large to put even more effort into highlighting such benefits.
"Besides a robust, pro-active advocacy of these positive benefits, the sector needs to simultaneously promote even more the inherent properties of fresh produce, namely taste, texture, quality and the sheer pleasure of enjoying a fresh fruit or vegetable," the group said in a statement.
"A truly holistic approach from the industry is needed to raise consumption levels all across Europe."
Despite falling consumption levels over the past five years, European consumers are reportedly becoming increasingly aware of the specific benefits that fresh fruit and vegetables can offer, with new figures from a recent Eurobarometer survey suggesting that 58 per cent of people in Europe believe a healthy diet means eating more fruit and vegetables.

"Fresh produce has a critical role to play in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes," Freshfel continued.

"The majority of European citizens – 83 per cent according to Eurobarometer – also considers the impact of a product on the environment when deciding which product to buy.

"Various recent studies have shown that consuming fruits and vegetables represents an environmentally friendly way of feeding the world’s rising population."

The group added: "Furthermore, the fresh produce sector is rightly recognised as having been pro-active in developing sustainable agricultural practices to meet the evolving requirement for refinements and improvements across the supply chain."

Source: Fruitnet

CARREFOUR SPAIN PILOTS CARREFOUR EXPRESS STORES IN BP STATIONS

Grocery retailer Carrefour has announced that it is testing Carrefour Express convenience stores in BP petrol stations in Spain. The retailer has opened an outlet in the town of San Fernando de Henares in Madrid.

The partnership comes after Carrefour and BP signed an agreement last July, part of which the retailer's Club Carrefour and Pass cardholders can accumulate the equivalent of 3% savings at BP service stations. BP operates more than 660 locations in the country.

Source: Planet Retail

WALMART LOOKING AT EUROPEAN EXPANSION

US-based Walmart is considering expanding into Europe with mergers and acquisitions a likely growth strategy, according to the Independent.

Founder Sam Walton’s grandson Steuart Walton is thought to have taken an interest in the problems at the French retailer Carrefour.

A source close to Walmart said Walton would consider taking over Carrefour stores if the French retailer decides to close outlets. In the face of a stagnating US market and fierce competition for Asda in the UK, Walmart sees Europe as a growth driver. A spokesman said: “Steuart is currently on secondment in the UK as part of his induction into the Walmart business.”

Source: Planet Retail

TESCO TO DROP CARBON FOOTPRINT LABELS?

UK-based supermarket giant Tesco is back tracking on its support for carbon labeling of its products.

The chain says the labels, which it launched with the Carbon Trust four years ago, is frustrated at the lack of take up by other retailers and the time it takes to organize reports the Grocer magazine.

Tesco displays the label on around 500 products and is one of more than 100 businesses currently using it.

In an interview Tesco's climate change director, Helen Fleming, said the supermarket would be phasing out its Carbon Reduction Labeling.

She said labeling each product takes 'several months' and as competitors were not following suit the scheme was no longer 'viable.'

A Tesco spokesman said 'no final decision' had been made but customer feedback was that the labeling is 'difficult' to understand.

USDA OFFICIAL TALKS LOCALLY GROWN FOOD

U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan speaks about agriculture and its importance in the U.S.

Merrigan, the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wants people to understand the importance of knowing where their food comes from.

"Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" is the USDA's effort to encourage direct farmer-to-consumer connections and strengthen access to locally produced foods.

Merrigan said interest in sustainable agriculture and demand for local food is strong and growing.
"Local's hot, if you will," Merrigan said. "People want to know where their food comes from."

7-ELEVEN ACQUIRES 55 SAM'S MART STORES IN THE CAROLINAS

7-Eleven, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement with Sam's Mart LLC to acquire 55 Sam's Mart stores in North and South Carolina and convert them to 7-Eleven® stores this year.

The transaction is anticipated to close in February, subject to standard closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ALDI SÜD TO INTRODUCE TRACEABILITY SCHEME IN SWITZERLAND

German discounter Aldi Süd is to launch a traceability initiative for agricultural products in Switzerland called NatureSuisse.

The program, which comes into effect on February 2, allows customers to trace selected fresh and processed meat products back to their origin. At www.naturesuisse.ch and via QR codes, customers can find information about the Swiss suppliers, the production conditions and the items themselves, which Aldi Süd says match and in some cases exceed the standards for ecological agriculture.

The first industry partner for the program is Ernst Sutter, based in Gossau, St Gallen canton. Aldi Süd’s Hofer is running a similar program - Zurück zum Ursprung (Back to origin) - in neighboring Austria that has gradually been expanded beyond meat to include fresh produce, bakery and dairy products.

Source: Planet Retail

STUDENTS TO SEE HEALTHIER SCHOOL LUNCHES UNDER NEW USDA RULES

Millions of schoolchildren in the US will see more fruit and vegetables and less fat on their lunch plates under new U.S. Department of Agriculture standards unveiled Wednesday aimed at improving child nutrition and reducing childhood obesity.

"Improving the quality of the school meals is a critical step in building a healthy future for our kids," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "When it comes to our children, we must do everything possible to provide them the nutrition they need to be healthy, active and ready to face the future – today we take an important step towards that goal."

The changes mark the first overhaul of the school lunch program in more than 15 years and will affect the nearly 32 million children who eat at school. The new regulations will be phased in over the next three years, starting in the fall.

Under the new regulations, schools will be required to offer fruits and vegetables every day, increase the amount of whole-grain foods and reduce the sodium and fats in the foods served. Schools will also be required to offer only fat-free or low-fat milk. In addition, the menus will pay attention to portion sizes to make sure children receive calories appropriate to their age, according to Kevin Concannon, USDA under secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services.

FOOD SAFETY IS MORE THAN AUDITS: PMA RESPONDS TO USA TODAY EDITORIAL

PMA’s Chief Science and Technology Officer Dr. Bob Whitaker responded to a USA Today editorial which claimed food safety auditors are too closely tied to the industries they audit.

Specifically the editorial stated: “The system has an inherent conflict of interest: While retailers generally require audits before buying from a supplier, the suppliers often hire and pay the auditors who evaluate them. It’s like authors hiring their own book reviewers.”

It went on to draw similarities between the audit system and the U.S. financial crisis in 2008.

COUPON DISTRIBUTION DOWN, SAVINGS UP

CPG marketers distributed 305 billion coupons in 2011, an 8.1% decrease from 2010, according to a new report from NCH Marketing Services, a Valassis company.

The Annual Topline U.S. Consumer Packaged Goods Coupon Facts Report noted that the decline in 2011 reflects the fact that 2010 was a record-setting year for coupon distribution, which increased markedly during the recession.

Volume in 2011 was up by 20 billion over 2007 levels. Despite the decline in distribution from 2010 to 2011, consumer savings using coupons was up sharply, as Valassis reported that shoppers saved a total of $4.6 billion, up 12.2% over the preceding year. NCH's annual Consumer Survey found that 80.6% of shoppers report using coupons regularly, up 17 share points from pre-recession levels. More than one-third of the survey respondents said they used more coupons in 2011 than the prior year, a 14.3 share point increase from pre-recession levels.

Marketers continue to modify coupon-offer characteristics, according to the 2011 Coupon Facts Report:
- 27% of coupons distributed require multiple purchases, up 2 points from 2010;
- 9.9 weeks average expiration, down from 10.4 weeks a year ago;
- An average $1.54 face value, which remained the same as in 2010.

Source: Supermarket News