The food industry and the labelling industry, one could argue are a match made in heaven. As consumers we rarely, if ever, think about the labels on our food when shopping because we are so used to seeing a clear label with the right information on it.

Food manufacturers must by law clearly convey the following:-

  • the name of the food
  • a list of ingredients (including food allergens)
  • the amount of an ingredient which is named or associated with the food
  • an appropriate durability indication (e.g. ‘best before’ or ‘use by’)
  • any special storage conditions or instructions for use
  • the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or retailer
  • the place of origin (where failure to do so might mislead)

Without this kind of information not only would doing the shopping be a lot more problematic, it would also be a serious risk to your health. If for example you are extremely allergic to nuts or dairy produce, doing the food shopping without labels could be life threatening.

In the UK and the US we are lucky that food labelling is an issue that has been addressed for quite some time now. However with the planet’s population estimated to swell to 9 billion by 2050 there will be significant increase in demand for food.

The farming, food, and drink sector is an important part of the UK, being responsible for over 3.5 million jobs. It has a key role in driving strong and sustainable growth, particularly through exporting to overseas markets.

Exports in the agri-food sector have been growing steadily, with 2010 seeing the sixth consecutive year of growth in value to £16 billion.

Key facts and figures:

  • The USA, France, Germany, Spain and Ireland together account for over half of all UK agri-food and drink exports. These are markets which are geographically close, have a large number of ex-pats, and with historic cultural links to the UK.
  • As high-growth consumer powers emerge exports need to be re-orientated to take advantage of new opportunities. The combined value of UK agri-food and drink exports to Brazil, Russia, India, China and Mexico, which together account for 44% of the world’s population, is less than the UK exports to Belgium.
  • China, USA, India, Russia and Brazil are expected to be the top five retail grocery markets by 2015.
  • Research across sectors shows that exporting is good for businesses, with organisations that export demonstrating higher productivity levels, stronger financial performance and greater longevity.