Many members will have seen the Government’s announcement that they will grant visas to 5,000 HGV drivers and 5,500 workers for the poultry industry from the EU. We are concerned that the relaxation by the Government is too little and too late.

With a 100,000 HGV driver shortage, the 5,000 is not really going to have a massive impact. It is likely that the drivers will only go to certain parts of the supply chain that can afford the costs associated with the process. Also, we are asking EU drivers, perhaps with permanent employment, to give this up to come on a short-term contract.

With workers for the poultry industry, whilst I am sure the industry will welcome the opportunity to bring in extra workers, is it too late to organise? I also wonder if the industry, who I am sure saw the problem coming some time ago, reduced the number of birds they raised? Iceland have already said they have seen sales on frozen turkeys increase by over 400% vs this time last year. They have also highlighted they have increased their orders for this year by 20%.

Whilst we welcome the support for our members in the Poultry sector, we do have to question why is this sector being treated differently from other sectors such as the pig industry whose situation is critical based upon the many pig farms airing their concerns on the media at the weekend.

If we were cynical the decision on poultry workers is driven more by the optics for the Government of having a shortage of turkeys in store over the Christmas period.

Defra maintain that many sectors have not proved their need for more labour so it would be interesting exactly what data they are missing across the many other parts of the supply chain where labour shortages are having such a major impact.

As Ian Wright of the FDF highlighted we are importing a lot of EU pork with no checks as we are yet to introduce SPS checks. Whilst the British pork industry is now faced with culling animals with perfectly good pork going to waste.

On the 7^th September the Specialist Interest Group on Packaging met via Zoom. The group heard from ExxonMobil about the work they are doing in developing chemical recycling of plastics, specifically flexibles.

The process takes plastic post-consumer and returns the material back to the raw components that makes plastic film in the first place. The have developed two systems, one a stand-alone converter and the second embedded into production sites that produce the material from virgin oil.

ExxonMobil are now checking with regulators across the USA and EU to ensure that recycled material will be acceptable to Governments before they undertake the significant investments this process will require to build scale.

ExxonMobil see this as a major step forward also that a combination of chemical and mechanical recycling will be the way forward.

The group then went onto discuss the Plastic Tax due to come into force in April next year. We agreed at the next meeting, scheduled for 16^th Nov, we will look at ways to reduce material such as pallet wrap. If any member has expertise in this field, please reach out to us as we would like to arrange experts to come and present to us.

Also if any member would like to join the SIG Packaging Group, please contact Siobhan

On the 23^rd September BFFF CEO Richard Harrow took part in a roundtable discussion with other frozen food trade bodies from Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Austria, USA and the BFFF.

The roundtable was hosted by John Saulnier of Frozen Food Biz and will be broadcast at the Anuga Exhibition that takes place in Cologne from the 9^th to 13^th October. This year due to the pandemic, Anuga will be hosting a ‘Anuga at Home’ event for those people who cannot travel to the show, but still wish to access the many exhibitors.

It was a great opportunity to talk about our industry, the theme was ‘Fresh, Healthy and Sustainable – why frozen food is a game changer for a more sustainable food system’.

Whilst we all operate in different countries with supply chains that are country specific and with products created for local tastes, we all face the same challenges and opportunities.

2020 saw growth in sales of frozen in all of the countries that took part and most expressed confirmation that some of the sales growth seen last year will remain.

With all economies now focusing on sustainability, frozen food has a major role in helping both consumers and professional kitchens reduce their food waste for the benefit of the environment.

If any members will visit Anuga, please do visit the German frozen food trade body called DTI.  They will be in Hall 4.2 stand B11/C10 and say hello to Dr Sabine Eichner and her team.