An appeal has been launched to find a masked armed robber after a convenience store in Tamworth was raided last week.
According to local reports, the raid took place at the McColl’s Morrisons Daily shop in Ellerbeck in Stonydelph on Sept 8. A man entered the shop shortly before 4pm armed with a large kitchen knife and demanded cash from the till. He was handed around £50 in cash.
The robber is said to be white and was wearing a green mask. He was 6ft tall and also wearing a black hoody, black jogging bottoms and trainers. He was last scene fleeing the scene running in the direction of Pennine Way.
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police ’s Tamworth team said, “We are appealing for information following an armed robbery at a premises in Ellerbeck, Stonydelph.
“On Sunday, September 8, at 3.50pm an unknown male has entered Morrison's Daily, Ellerbeck carrying a large kitchen knife and has demanded money from the till which staff have handed over. It was roughly £50 in total in £5 notes.
"If anyone has any relevant information in relation to this incident then please contact Staffs Police on 101 or via the online form quoting incident: 489 of 08/09/2024.”
The Food Foundation’s annual State of the Nation’s Food Industry report, published today, has found that:
Just 5 companies (Haribo, Mars, Mondelez, PepsiCo, Kellog’s) are responsible for over 80 per cent of TV ads for snacks and confectionary aired before the watershed, despite all of them claiming not to advertise to children
Almost a third (30 per cent) of major UK restaurant chains serve main meals where over half of the options are concerningly high in salt
Almost one in five supermarket multibuy offers are on meat and dairy products, with half of these offers on processed meat (10.6 per cent of all offers) despite the known health risks of consuming too much processed meat
Only one in four major UK food businesses has a healthy sales target and discloses data on the healthiness of their sales
Restaurant chains and fast-food outlets are the least transparent sector by some way, having made no progress since last year in disclosing healthy sales data or setting targets to improve the healthiness of menus
Global food giants Mondelez, Mars and Coca-Cola still have no clear explicit board-level accountability for nutrition
Food industry representatives and their trade associations met with Defra ministers a total of 1,377 times between 2020 and 2023. This is over 40 times more meetings than those held between food NGOs and Defra ministers
The report, published annually by The Food Foundation, analyses data across an array of sources to build up a revealing picture of the UK’s food system. The findings show that currently the food environment, from the food being advertised to us, to the food that dominates menus when we eat out, to the price promotions being offered to us in supermarkets, is relentlessly pushing consumers to make unhealthy choices.
The report also shows there is a clear lack of accountability, with food industry giants failing to set targets or report on their company’s health credentials and global food giants Mondelez, Mars and Coca-Cola having no clear explicit board-level accountability for nutrition.
The new Government has committed to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy and to strengthen the economy. There is increasing public awareness that this cannot be done without addressing diets and the availability and affordability of healthy food. Currently obesity and overweight are estimated to contribute to around 40,000 deaths every year and cost the UK economy an estimated £98bn annually. Last month a report from the House of Lords Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity forcefully called for the government to fix the “broken” food system and turn the tide on the public health emergency.
The Food Foundation’s annual report includes data from its Plating Up Progress benchmark which monitors 36 major UK food businesses, covering retailers, the Out of Home sector, wholesalers and manufacturers. The benchmarks looks at which of these businesses are disclosing transparent data on sales, marketing and sourcing and setting targets to support the sales of more healthy and sustainable food.
The Food Foundation found that while the majority of major food businesses have now set targets for and are reporting on reducing Scope 3 emissions, only 1 in 4 major UK food businesses has a healthy sales target and discloses data on the healthiness of their sales. This is likely being driven by the increasing number of corporate reporting directives requiring businesses to publicly disclose data on their environmental impact in comparison to the lack of regulation and absence of reporting directives on the healthiness of portfolios.
While there has been more target setting and disclosure on climate than health, there is still an intention-action gap on environment goals, with over half of businesses assessed either not reporting on progress or seeing emissions rise.
The Food Foundation is calling on the government to introduce mandatory reporting by all large food businesses on both the healthiness and sustainability of their sales. This is crucial for identifying what food is being sold (and ultimately consumed) and pointing to areas for improvement. Setting targets is equally important, serving as a North Star for driving meaningful change within companies. A great deal of progress had been made in aligning on the health metrics for food businesses to report on via the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) during the last term of government, but this has come to a complete standstill since the election. Labour ought to use the existing mechanisms for health reporting and move swiftly to place it on a mandatory footing.
“This year’s State of the Nation’s Food Industry report demonstrates the huge impact food businesses have in shaping the food we eat – and how the current system is setting us up to fail,” Rebecca Tobi, Senior Business and Investor Engagement Manager, The Food Foundation. “It’s not right that the most affordable, appealing and convenient options are often the unhealthiest ones.
“We urgently need the government to introduce regulation to raise standards and create a level playing field that enables progressive businesses to go further, faster. If we are to have any chance of ensuring the next generation are the healthiest ever - as Labour have pledged - then we simply can’t continue to ignore the major role large food companies are playing in shaping UK diets. We need regulation to ensure proper safeguards are in place to make sure businesses act responsibly, supporting people and planet as well as profit.”
Baroness Walmsley, Chair of the House of Lords Food Diet and Obesity Committee said, “When people are swimming against a tide of availability and advertising of unhealthy food, it is not helpful to tell them to swim harder. This report shows just how far the industry needs to move to support everyone to eat well, and the calls to action repeat many of those in the Lords committee’s report (Recipe for Health; a Plan to fix our broken food system). The government should act now to develop a long term strategy to fix our food system, underpinned by a new legislative framework. Without it, businesses have insufficient incentive to act in the public interest and will continue to cause harm with their relentless promotion of junk food.”
James Toop, Chief Executive of Bite Back added: “All through 2024, we’ve been running the Fuel Us, Don’t Fool Us campaign, and what we keep hearing from the young activists who drive Bite Back is how Big Food is putting profit over their health. Companies are secretive or even misleading about what’s in the junk food they’re marketing, while young people are hit with 15 billion ads online every year. Our research this year shows that the majority of Big Food’s UK sales come from unhealthy products, which has real consequences — one in three Year Six children are at future risk of food related illness. If the new government wants to be on the right side of history and truly create the “healthiest generation of children ever,” they need to tackle this issue head-on and act on the recommendations in the State of the Nation’s Food Industry report.”
Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that parent company Unilever has silenced its attempts to express support for Palestinian refugees, and threatened to dismantle its board and sue its members over the issue.
The lawsuit is the latest sign of the long-simmering tensions between Ben & Jerry's and consumer products maker Unilever. A rift erupted between the two in 2021 after Ben & Jerry's said it would stop selling its products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank because it was inconsistent with its values, a move that led some investors to divest Unilever shares.
The ice cream maker then sued Unilever for selling its business in Israel to its licensee there, which allowed marketing in the West Bank and Israel to continue. That lawsuit was settled in 2022.
In its new lawsuit, Ben & Jerry's says that Unilever has breached the terms of the 2022 settlement, which has remained confidential. As part of the agreement, however, Unilever is required to "respect and acknowledge the Ben & Jerry's independent board's primary responsibility over Ben & Jerry's social mission," according to the lawsuit.
"Ben & Jerry's has on four occasions attempted to publicly speak out in support of peace and human rights," according to the lawsuit. "Unilever has silenced each of these efforts."
Unilever did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ben & Jerry's said in the lawsuit it has tried to call for a ceasefire, support the safe passage of Palestinian refugees to Britain, back students protesting at US colleges against civilian deaths in Gaza, and advocate for a halt in US military aid to Israel, but has been blocked by Unilever.
The independent board separately spoke out on some of those topics, but the company was muzzled, the lawsuit says.
Ben & Jerry's said that Peter ter Kulve, Unilever's head of ice cream, said he was concerned about the "continued perception of anti-Semitism" regarding the ice cream brand voicing its opinions on Gazan refugees, according to the lawsuit.
Unilever was also required under the settlement agreement to make a total of $5 million in payments to Ben & Jerry's for the brand to make donations to human rights groups of its choosing, according to the lawsuit.
Ben & Jerry's selected the left-leaning Jewish Voice for Peace and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, among others, the filing says.
Unilever in August objected to the selections, saying that Jewish Voice for Peace was "too critical of the Israeli government," according to the lawsuit.
Ben & Jerry's has positioned itself as socially conscious since Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield founded the company in a renovated gas station in 1978. It kept that mission after Unilever acquired it in 2000.
In March, Unilever said it will spin off its ice cream business, which includes Ben & Jerry's, by the end of 2025 to simplify its holdings.
Following a successful summer season for tourism in Scotland, its fine food and drink outlets are ready to refresh and re-stock and where better than Scotland’s Speciality Food & Drink Show? Held at the SEC, Glasgow from 19-21 Jan 2025, this is the event where quality, innovation and flavour are celebrated.
With stands filling up fast, artisan and mainstream producers are wanting a slice of the sales that will come as delis, farm shops, tourist outlets, cafés and restaurants come to taste, see and enjoy the best of Scottish food and drink. Premium Scottish produce is renowned the world over for its quality and provenance, and this Show will display some of the most unusual and best on offer.
Regional food groups are a highlight of the Show with Orkney and Food from Argyll both taking large, multi-producer stands. Look out for Isle of Mull Coffee, Slainte Sauces, Isle of Mull Cheese and Annie’s Herb Kitchen, all from Argyll and rum, seafood, oatcakes, whisky and ice cream from Orkney.
Of the 100 plus exhibitors, about a third are new to the Show. In the Launch Gallery for new young companies, visit 8 Doors Distillery from John O’Groats, Bealach Gin from Invernesshire, Goat Rodeo Goods condiments, Sour Power Vinegars and The Third Sin chocolatier. Beyond these newcomers, producers such as Rise & Grind Roastery and The TeaShed are first time exhibitors.
Existing producers will be launching new ranges and re-connecting with customers – take a look and a taste at Great Glen Charcuterie, Island Larder, Stewart Tower Dairy, Kilted Fudge Co, Angels Dare Cocktails and The Cress Co distributors.
The Show offers more than just sourcing and buying, it’s about learning too. With a rich programme of panel discussions from Net Zero Nation on sustainability, trends, and Scottish Tourism Alliance’s keynote panel to a 1-to-1 interview on Success of a Farm Shop from Emma Niven at Loch Leven’s Larder and practical masterclasses on all aspects of retailing, including using AI and Canva. This is the place to learn how to improve your business and retail skills.
“I attend Scotland’s Speciality Food & Drink show most years as it is a great, well organised event," said Geraldine Bruce, Sainsbury’s Scottish Buyer. I use this as a good time to catch up with suppliers, see new products and meet potential new suppliers who may catch my eye with their products.” This year Geraldine will also be one of our ‘Nessies’ in the highly popular Nessie’s Den on Tuesday 21 Jan at 1 pm.
Sponsored by The Giftware Association, the awards will take on a new format this year with a dazzling display of winners in the centre of the Show and a high profile ceremony at the end of the first day of the Show.
The 2025 Show is being organised in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink who will bring some of their members, as well as key buyers. On Tuesday 21 January they will host a lively session in the Talking Shop on Scottish food & drink.
Mark Saunders Show Director said: “We recognise how key this Show is for fine food & drink outlets across, not just Scotland but the rest of the UK and overseas. Here they can look, taste and discover products that will increase their footfall and their sales. By attending you can be assured you’ll be ahead of your competitors in sourcing new ranges and new stock for the coming year. Ensure this date is firmly in your diary.”
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Allwyn announces new National Lottery gifting campaign
Allwyn announces new National Lottery gifting campaign
Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, has announced that it has completed its largest terminal installation project to date after equipping over 300 new forecourts owned by Motor Fuel Group (MFG) with National Lottery terminals.
From Inverurie in Scotland, to Caerphilly in Wales and Plymouth in England – the large-scale project spanned 337 Morrisons Daily petrol sites right around the UK and expands access to the full portfolio of National Lottery games at this supermarket giant.
Allwyn and MFG worked closely together to meet MFG’s objective of refitting the Morrisons Daily sites at a rate of around 15 store openings per week from May until the end of October, ensuring that The National Lottery traded immediately from launch.
The project represents the single largest terminal install project since Allwyn took over as operator of The National Lottery on 1 February 2024. It also helped achieve the highest rate of National Lottery terminal installations per week for over five years, with total installs across the retail estate since May peaking at 36 per week.
The majority of the terminals installed at the MFG sites are standard National Lottery terminals, with a small number of compact terminals installed at some of the sites.
The rollout forms another element in Allwyn’s total overhaul of the entire 40,000-strong National Lottery retail estate, which is well underway. This involves equipping retail partners with the latest innovative kit, including a modern, sustainable new suite of Permanent Point of Sale (PPOS); a new network provided by Vodafone; state-of-the-art lottery terminals; and enhanced software. All of this will help with Allwyn’s plans to deliver responsible growth for The National Lottery to ensure it generates more money than ever before for Good Causes.
Allwyn has invested more than £350 million into its comprehensive plan to transform The National Lottery by substantially improving its operations and technology. Its investment and innovation will provide a springboard to create more engaging games, attracting more players, producing more winners, and – crucially – generating more money for National Lottery-funded projects.
Allwyn’s Interim Retail Director, James Dunbar, said: “We’re incredibly pleased with the results of this project. Delivering over 300 terminals in such a short period of time and working to meet the timeframes of MFG’s ambitious refit project has taken commitment and excellent co-operation from the teams at Allwyn and MFG. It also directly links back to our ambitions to continually adapt to the changing retail landscape and drive convenience for players.
“The results of this project, with over 300 Morrisons Daily forecourts now trading The National Lottery, will help with our plans to deliver even more than the current £30 million, on average, raised every week for National Lottery Good Causes.”
“We are delighted with the collaborative approach from Allwyn to work closely with our teams at MFG to ensure a successful rollout of the National Lottery in all of our 337 Morrison’s Forecourts," said MFG’s Managing Director, Steve Fox. "It’s important for us to have The National Lottery in every one of our sites to offer a great consumer experience. Thank you for the combined efforts of all involved from both Allwyn and MFG to make this happen as we completed our rollout programme.”
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has launched the second edition of its popular Love Your High Street Week campaign, urging shoppers across the UK to support their local independent businesses.
Building on the success of last year's inaugural event, Bira - which represents over 6,000 independent retailers of all sizes - is once again shining a spotlight on the diversity, uniqueness and community-focused offerings found on high streets nationwide.
Taking place from 18-25 November, Love Your High Street Week has been designed to rally support for independent shops, restaurants and service providers that form the backbone of local communities.
“The response to our first Love Your High Street Week in 2023 was incredibly heartening, with businesses and shoppers alike getting involved to champion the independent spirit of our high streets,” Andrew Goodacre, Bira chief executive, said.
“This year, we're calling on the public to once again show their love and appreciation for the small businesses that make our towns and cities so special. By supporting local independents, we can make a real difference in keeping our high streets vibrant and thriving.”
Bira is providing a range of free marketing assets available to all stores, including window posters, social media graphics and website banners, to help businesses promote their involvement in the campaign. Shoppers are encouraged to visit their local high streets, share their favourite independent discoveries online using the #LoveYourHighStreet hashtag, and spread the word to friends and family.
“Our high streets are the heart and soul of communities across the UK, offering a unique shopping experience that you simply can't find online or in larger chains,” added Goodacre. “This week is all about celebrating that independent spirit and encouraging people to explore, support and champion the small businesses that make our local areas so special.”
For more information about Love Your High Street Week 2024 and how to get involved, please visit the campaign webpage.