AGP Executive Report

Food Safety: UK authorities warned shoppers and caterers to discard Ukrainian eggs stamped 3UA1012066 after salmonella was detected; repacking means the shell code is key. Gilbert’s Kosher Foods also recalled chopped liver over a gluten labelling error that could put people with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance at risk. Eating Out: A new report says GLP-1 users make up 6.1% of the UK population. They are cutting back on snacks, beer and food-and-drink occasions, while wine, cocktails and drinks-only visits are gaining ground. Farm Support: NFU Scotland wants a £183m increase in agricultural support for 2027–28, taking funding towards £860m, arguing inflation has eroded its value and farmers need viable businesses to meet food and environmental demands. Dairy Welfare: An animal welfare coalition alleges workers at award-winning Two Pools Farm near Bristol hit and dragged cows and left some calves without food. The farm supplies M&S and Müller; the allegations followed an undercover investigation.

Farm Productivity: A new study found UK crop output recorded no growth from 2011 to 2023, as researchers warned that climate pressures and slow access to innovation are weakening agricultural competitiveness. Organic Farming: The government has launched a ten-year plan to expand England’s organic farmland, with the sector seen as a route to stronger domestic production. Water and Food Security: Severe drought has been declared in parts of southern England, adding pressure on farms and supplies. A Guardian editorial warns that the UK’s reliance on food imports leaves it exposed to disruption. Drinks: Waitrose has launched its first own-brand gin and vodka made from crops grown by the supermarket in the UK. Dairy: Saputo is exiting the UK, with rival Lactalis acquiring brands including Cathedral City, Country Life and Wensleydale. Household Budgets: A Joseph Rowntree Foundation tracker found 7.4 million low-income households could not afford at least one essential item, including food, in the six months to May and June.

Food Manufacturing: Foyle Food Group is investing £15m in automation, packing and warehousing at its Omagh beef plant, with seven jobs planned and £2.9m in support from Invest NI. Organic Farming: England plans to increase organically farmed land from 3.4% to 10%, while improving supply chains and access to markets. School Meals: Two Wirral schools have joined a programme to improve menus, kitchens and food education ahead of new school food standards becoming mandatory in primary schools in 2027. Food Safety: UK authorities have ordered a recall of specified Ukrainian eggs linked to a Salmonella outbreak involving 36 infections.

Food Safety: Nearly six tonnes of illegal meat, cheese and other food were seized at Harwich, while a separate UK alert recalled specified Ukrainian eggs after Salmonella was linked to 36 infections. Industry Investment: Northern Ireland’s Foyle Food Group is investing £15m to upgrade production and support skills. Food Security: Extreme summer weather has cut one wheat farmer’s yield by 30%, prompting renewed calls to strengthen UK farming and domestic supply. Costs & Shopping: Grocery inflation reached 2.5% in October as food sales growth slowed, adding pressure for shoppers and retailers. Hospitality & Drinks: Adnams is launching three Suffolk coastal walking trails featuring its new alcohol-free Ghost Ship on handpull, offering pub stops without the alcohol. Trade: M&S says a UK-EU food deal could cut costs and delays, as closer trade ties return to the agenda.

Food Safety: The FSA warned shoppers not to eat miswrapped Skinny Crunch peanut bars sold at selected Asda and Sainsbury’s stores, or Waitrose tuna pâté carrying an incorrect use-by date; both products are being recalled. Prices and Demand: UK grocery inflation reached 2.5% in October, while food sales growth slowed, adding pressure as households watch spending. Food Security: Farmers warn that extreme weather and rising costs are putting domestic production at risk; wheat yields have reportedly fallen 30%, while Scottish fishers say record diesel prices are hitting a key food-producing industry. School Food: England’s planned standards would raise fibre and curb sugar from 2027, prompting suppliers and schools to review menus and contracts. Trade and Brewing: M&S says an EU food-trade deal could reduce costs and delays for British businesses ahead of November’s UK-EU summit. Carlsberg Britvic has also proposed closing Marston’s brewery in 2027.

Food Safety: The Food Standards Agency urged shoppers not to eat eggs from a Ukrainian supplier after a Salmonella warning; Greencore also recalled prepared foods following a Salmonella finding in pistachios. Retail Trends: UK food sales growth slowed to 2.5% in September as cautious shoppers and rising costs weighed on spending. Supply Resilience: Experts say climate risks extend beyond farms, while farmers warn poor harvests are straining cash flow and government policy is discouraging food production. Supermarkets and the NFU are calling for greater investment in British farming. Trade: M&S is pressing for a UK–EU food deal to cut costs and delays, as the November summit puts food and drink cooperation on the agenda. Cybersecurity: A French attack that overheated supermarket freezers and spoiled food has prompted warnings about risks to UK retailers’ cold-storage systems.

Costs and Demand: The IMF warns UK households face steeper-than-expected inflation as food and energy costs rise. Retail sales growth also eased in September, with food sales up 2.5% year on year, down from 4.3% a year earlier. Food Safety: Shoppers are being urged to check egg codes after an urgent Salmonella recall; Greencore has also recalled prepared foods following a Salmonella finding in pistachios. Business: Greencore raised its full-year operating profit outlook again to about £248m, citing strong volumes and profit momentum. Supply and Jobs: Farmers face mounting food-security pressures after difficult harvests, while Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Marston’s Brewery, putting 310 jobs at risk.

Food Safety: The FSA warned shoppers not to eat specified Ukrainian eggs linked to 36 salmonella infections. Greencore also recalled prepared foods after salmonella was detected in pistachios. Allergen Controls: An inquest found hazelnut residue in an unwashed blender caused 12-year-old Mia Shay St Hilaire’s fatal milkshake reaction. Her family is calling for restaurants to display allergy-safety ratings. Trade & Exports: Burnham says the November 20 UK-EU summit will seek food and drink deals to cut border red tape, which he says costs Scottish salmon exporters £100m and can add up to £1,400 per shipment. Brewing: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Marston’s Burton brewery, putting 310 jobs at risk. Hospitality: The Ivy Asia has revealed its menu ahead of its October 20 Glasgow opening, featuring sushi, sharing plates and a £70 set menu.

Food Safety: UK authorities ordered a recall of eggs from a Ukrainian supplier after Salmonella was linked to 36 illnesses; the products mainly entered catering and wholesale channels, while major supermarkets’ UK-produced eggs are unaffected. Prepared Foods: Greencore recalled five Tesco and M&S products after Salmonella was found in pistachio ingredients; shoppers should check the listed products and use-by dates. Hospitality: More than 100 former Whitbread restaurant sites are set to reopen under new owners, with over 900 staff potentially moving into new roles. Food Security: The NFU and supermarkets are urging Budget action to support domestic food production, amid farm-sector concerns over cheap imports and growing pressure on farmers. Industry Costs: UK business inflation hit a three-year high in September, with rising energy, fuel and raw-material costs squeezing margins as demand softened.

Food Safety: The FSA has ordered a recall of eggs from a Ukrainian supplier after Salmonella was detected; the products are linked to 36 UK infections, and consumers are told not to eat them. Farming & Supply: Summer heat and drought have left pumpkin crops smaller, while GB beef prices rose for a fourth week to 635p/kg amid tight supplies. Farmers are also warning that rising costs and policy uncertainty are putting food security under pressure. Hospitality: More than 100 former Whitbread restaurant sites are set to reopen under new owners, creating a boost for local dining and jobs. Brewing: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Marston’s brewery, putting around 310 jobs at risk. Awards: Isle of Wight Distillery won gold for Mermaid Salt Vodka at the Great British Food Awards, while Isle of Wight Tomatoes took gold for its cherry tomato sauce. Trade: The UK-India deal is already enabling tariff-free Scottish salmon shipments to India, with the agreement projected to lift annual bilateral trade by £25.5bn by 2040.

Food Safety: UK shoppers are being urged not to eat certain Ukrainian eggs after Salmonella was detected, with 36 cases linked to the supplier; M&S and Tesco have also recalled selected ready meals, salads and sauces over contamination concerns. No- and Low-Alcohol: Premium options are gaining ground ahead of Christmas: Tesco reports alcohol-free spirits sales up 17% year on year, with no- and low-alcohol beer and cider volumes up 12.5%. Hospitality: More than 110 former Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Cookhouse sites are set to reopen under new operators, potentially creating over 700 jobs. Brewing: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Marston’s Brewery, putting 310 jobs at risk, as the British Beer and Pub Association’s chief executive calls for beer duty to be cut. Food Access: Two disadvantaged areas are each set to receive £222,000 from a £10m community food programme to improve access to affordable, healthy food.

Food Safety: UK consumers and businesses have been told not to eat or sell Ukrainian eggs stamped 3UA1012066 after Salmonella was detected; the products may have been repacked and sold under different names, and the outbreak is linked to 36 cases. Brewing: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Marston’s Brewery, putting 310 jobs at risk and raising concerns over the future of Banks’s beers. Farming: England has suffered its worst harvest on record after extreme summer weather, adding pressure to food supply as UK butter and cheese availability also contracted in the second quarter. Packaging: Pulpex has started production at a Glasgow fibre-bottle plant, a potential boost for lower-plastic packaging in the drinks sector.

Industry Awards: Guala Closures UK was named Manufacturer of the Year at Scotland’s Made in Scotland Awards. Its £52m Gartcosh plant supplies more than 100 distilleries. Food Safety: M&S and Tesco recalled food products over salmonella concerns, with shoppers told not to eat affected items. Brewing Jobs: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Marston’s Burton brewery, putting more than 300 jobs at risk and raising concerns for the future of its well-known beers. Food Supply: England has suffered its worst harvest on record after extreme summer weather. The NFU also warns Britain’s food production is falling as farmers face rising costs and policy uncertainty. Whisky: Scotland’s industry faces fresh pressure, with job losses and a dispute over protections for Scotch whisky highlighting concerns about the sector’s recovery. Coffee: Coca-Cola may sell Costa Coffee after the chain was overtaken by Greggs as the UK’s biggest coffee seller; Costa has returned to profit as UK revenue rose.

Food Safety: M&S and Tesco recalled ready meals, salads and sauces over salmonella concerns. Separately, a coroner found a cafe’s failure to wash a blender after using it for a hazelnut drink led to the fatal allergic reaction of 12-year-old Mia Shay St Hilaire. Brewing: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close its Marston’s brewery in Burton in 2027, putting about 310 jobs at risk and leaving the future of Banks’s beers uncertain. Retail & Coffee: Coca-Cola is reportedly exploring a sale of Costa Coffee, while Tesco raised its full-year profit outlook after first-half growth. Drinks: A lorry carrying 41,184 bottles of Irn-Bru, worth about £30,000, was stolen from Cumbernauld and later tracked into Cumbria. Farming: Extreme summer weather has left England facing its worst harvest on record, raising fresh concerns about domestic food supply.

Retail: Coca-Cola is reportedly reconsidering a sale of Costa Coffee after an earlier attempt fell through. The chain has about 2,700 UK and Ireland outlets and has lost ground to Greggs on store numbers. Food safety: The Food Standards Agency has warned shoppers not to eat five M&S and Tesco products recalled over possible salmonella from pistachio nuts; affected items can be returned for a refund. Brewing: Carlsberg plans to close Burton upon Trent’s historic Marston’s Brewery, putting around 310 jobs at risk and ending nearly 200 years of brewing at the site. Hospitality: Upper Crust owner SSP expects annual operating profit of about £230m, below analyst forecasts, as passenger numbers weaken in Middle East travel hubs and North America; UK and Ireland fourth-quarter sales rose 9%. Food security: Experts warn Britain is poorly prepared for food supply emergencies, while farmers report that policy uncertainty is hurting their businesses.

Costa Sale: Coca-Cola is again exploring a sale of Costa Coffee after an earlier process failed to meet its price expectations. The chain returned to profit, with UK revenue up 5%, adding urgency to the question of its future ownership. Brewing Shake-up: Carlsberg Britvic plans to close Burton’s historic Marston’s Brewery in 2027, putting about 310 jobs at risk. The future of regional beers, including Banks’s, is uncertain. Food Security: Experts warn the UK has no clear plan for a food crisis, as farmers face policy uncertainty and a powerful El Niño threatens harvests, food prices and energy costs. Retail and Regulation: Tesco raised its full-year profit outlook after first-half profit rose 6.3%. Meanwhile, the UK competition watchdog is still reviewing McCormick’s proposed $44.8bn takeover of Unilever’s food business, despite the deal clearing a US antitrust hurdle.