Page 168 — British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF)

MAGNAVALE EXPANDS CONTRACT PACKAGING CAPABILITIES AT EASTON FACILITY

Posted on January 31, 2024February 28, 2024 by shane.meharg@magnavale.co.uk

Cold storage provider, Magnavale, has announced the expansion of its contract packing, labelling and date-coding lines at its Easton facility, allowing for a significant boost in capacity. Capable of adapting between ambient, chilled, and frozen applications, these new highly automated lines allow Magnavale Easton to significantly increase packing, labelling and date-coding output, as well as flexibly adjust to periods of peak demand.

Featuring both date code printers and sleeving equipment, these expanded packaging capabilities provide Magnavale’s partners with both storage continuity and packing versatility to thrive amid shifting consumer appetites and changes in market demand, particularly during seasonal peaks.

Amanda Cogan, Chief Operating Officer, comments “These high-volume packaging lines mean that we can support our clients amid increasing demand without putting strain on our other cold chain operations. Our packing lines at Magnavale Easton are some of the most efficient in the UK, with both manual and automated capabilities that can handle a range of ambient, chilled, and frozen products.”

Since taking over the operation of the cold storage facility in 2022, Magnavale has invested in the South Grantham-based facility, not only significantly increasing the capacity but also enhancing the services offered to encompass an essential service to the food manufacturing sector, including blast freezing. Aiming to cut cost, risk, and complexity from its partners’ supply chains, Magnavale sees itself as a key business within the sector paving the way towards sustainable cold chain solutions.

GET READY FOR CHANGES TO SPS IMPORT CONTROLS FOR EU/EFTA IMPORTS TO GB

Posted on January 31, 2024November 27, 2025 by Sarah Collison

Defra have issued the following reminder to industry in preparation for the changes coming on 31 January 2024.

What changes are coming on 31 January 2024?

The introduction of health certification on imports from the EU/EFTA of medium risk: animal products, plants, plant products
The introduction of health certification on imports of high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin via the EU/EFTA listed in Annex II of Regulation 2019/1793.
The introduction of import notifications for EU/EFTA products (i.e. not Qualifying Northern Irish Goods) from the island of Ireland to Great Britain.
The introduction of the Common Health Entry Document (CHED) import notification in place of the IMP for import notifications of EU/EFTA imports of Products of Animal Origin (POAO) and for High Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin (HRFNAO) imported into GB via the EU/EFTA.

Prepare for the changes that are coming:

Register for IPAFFS online on GOV UK if you haven’t already done so. The person or business completing the CHED Part 1 import notification must have a UK address to register for IPAFFS.
Know your risk category – use the online guidance to find the risk category of your commodity
Ensure that your EU supply chain is preparing to provide you with health certificates and/or phytosanitary certificates – find out more here.
From 31st January 2024, GB authorities encourage the use of a digitally signed and verifiable GB export health certificate (EHC) in place of the paper version of the certificate for live animals and POAO imports from EU and EFTA countries where the PDF health certificate can be electronically verified. Defra will accept verifiable PDF certificates from TRACES and other EU/EFTA MS systems listed on GOV UK. You can still use a paper GB health certificate.
Be ready to correctly submit your import notification in IPAFFS: · Click here to watch the webinar recording for Importing HRFNAO via the EU to GB: the new CHED Part 1 notification. · Click here to watch the webinar recording for Importing animal products from the EU to GB: New CHED Part 1 notification. · Read the guidance in Import Notifications.
Read the introductory information leaflets for businesses on health certificates and import notifications.
Please click here to practice making CHED import notifications in the IPAFFS training environment.

You will need to create a new log in for the training environment. You will need to use an email address that you can access, to receive your confirmation code before you can log in.
To see the new import notification (CHED) questions for EU animal imports please select Austria or any EU country for the country of origin question and make sure the same country appears in the country of consignment box.
If you see any error messages when viewing pages in the training environment, these have already been reported and will be fixed in the next release. Please do not contact the service desk.

Update on landbridge transits for EU and EFTA

EU and EFTA origin, live animals and animal product consignments that transit through the GB using Great Britain (GB) as a land bridge can pose a threat to biosecurity and public health. These consignments will need to meet Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) controls aligned with the Border Target Operating Model.

Guidance on what EU and EFTA traders will need to do when using GB as a landbridge including a step-by-step guide has been published on gov.uk: Defra-transiting-goods-through-Great-Britain-leaflet.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Who to contact and When?

For urgent BTOM/import queries for plants and plant products to England & Wales, please contact the Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA) via:

Email (priority route): phsi-importers@apha.gov.uk

Tel (secondary route): +44 (0) 3000 200 301

For urgent BTOM/import queries for animals and animal products, please contact Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) via:

Email (priority route): imports@apha.gov.uk

Tel (secondary route): +44 (0) 3000 200 301

DVSA SERVICES – INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY PCS

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Sarah Collison

Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) served DVSA notice of strike action on:

8 and 9 February – all PCS members in DVSA including driving examiners and customer service centre agents
10 and 11 February – any PCS members in DVSA contracted to work weekends

They do not expect this action by PCS to affect our heavy vehicle annual test (MOT) service, but we will not know for certain until strike action takes place.

Please continue to attend your annual test booking(s) as planned.

Their customer service centre might be affected by the strike action, and it may take longer than usual to answer your query. The customer service centre will be open from 8am to 4pm on 8 and 9 February.

Work to resolve the dispute

DVSA has been working with PCS to address concerns raised about the working arrangements for driving examiners and the driving test service provided by DVSA. DVSA has made an offer to PCS to end the dispute, which has been rejected.

They are unable to confirm what level of impact the industrial action might have on our services but BFFF members should be aware.

Not all DVSA staff are PCS members, and even if they are, they might choose not to go on strike. So, they will not know which staff are participating in strike action until it takes place.

WRAP ANNOUNCE FOOD WASTE ACTION WEEK 2024

Posted on January 31, 2024November 27, 2025 by Sarah Collison

WRAP have recently published detail of their 2024 Food Waste Action Week. This will be the fourth annual Food Waste Action Week and will run from the 18th -24th of March. Please note this is a slight delay to the previously communicated date.

The overall theme of the week will be ‘Choose What You’ll Use’, which will focus on the benefits of buying loose fruit and vegetables, and encourage the consumer to buy loose wherever they can.

WRAP’s latest research shows that food waste costs a four-person household in the UK around £1,000 per year in food bought, but not eaten. Of the 6.4 million tonnes of food and drink thrown away at home during 2021, a huge 4.7 million tonnes could have been eaten.

You can find out more here

RESEARCH REVEALS ONE IN FIVE UK ADULTS HAVE CONFUSED PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS WITH REAL ANIMAL PRODUCTS

Posted on January 31, 2024November 27, 2025 by Sarah Collison

Recent research conducted on behalf of the law firm Browne Jacobson has revealed that one in five UK adults have confused plant-based products with real animal products due to branding or labelling, with this rising to half (50%) of vegans and 36% of vegetarians.

Nearly a third of UK adults also say they are less likely to buy plant-based products if they resemble animal-based food. Half of those who follow a vegan diet (49%) would prefer plant-based foods to differentiate from animal-based products.

Furthermore, nearly two fifths of adults in the UK (38%) believe plant-based producers should not be allowed to name plant-based food products after their animals or animal product counterparts.

It is already a requirement for food producers and other food business operators responsible for food labelling to ensure that the labelling and marketing of their products is not misleading. And this report comes after much controversy in the EU and UK about the banning of animal product terms to describe plant-based food. 

The survey was conducted over three days (from 24 – 28 of November 2023) to a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults, weighted to Office of National Statistics (ONS) criteria. The built-in demographics were by gender, age, region, and city.

You can read more here.

CAP REMIND INDUSTRY OF RULES AROUND ADVERTISING TO CHILDREN

Posted on January 31, 2024November 27, 2025 by Sarah Collison

Over the festive season the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) published a reminder on the rules around advertising to children which would be worth members taking a look at.

The Codes define children as under-16s, young people as 16–17-year-olds. A huge number of children and young people use the internet to play games and visit social networking sites. But certain types of ads should not be displayed or delivered to these age groups.

Marketers must take care with ads for age-restricted products, which include foods/soft drinks high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) . CAP also recommend that marketers check the audience profiles of any media they plan to advertise these products in, to satisfy themselves that they are not targeting the wrong age groups.

You can read more here

A few reasons to become a member of BFFF

To find out more about becoming a member call 01400 283 095 or email the team

Join BFFF

Member profile on BFFF website

Free BFFF Member List

Free listing in the annual Member Directory

Access to latest industry news and information

Weekly newsletter, press and media opportunities

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Networking via opportunities at BFFF events

Free market data provided by Circana and World Panel

Access to industry specialists

Expert guidance from Technical and Health & Safety teams

Access to Primary Authority schemes and assured advice

H&S Audit Service/Advice

Free access to HR and legal guidance and advice line

Training and Education

Member Benefits

Exclusive Partnership deals on key products and services:

BFFF energy deals and rates
Vypr member deals and introduction
Defib Plus deals
Company Shop – membership
Mentor – MHE training health check

Exclusive access to networking opportunities and events:

Meet the Buyer events (retail & foodservice)
Annual Business Conference with networking dinner
Specialist H&S and Technical Conferences
Special interest groups (packaging, frozen food temperatures)
Annual Lunch
Awards Night

Become a member

Sponsorship Packages

We offer a range of sponsorship opportunities to BFFF members across our events throughout the year, with flexible packages that can be tailored to suit your business objectives.

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