The UK has an ageing population in common with many other European countries. The number and proportion of both men and women aged over 65 who are working has generally risen over the last two decades.

The increasing proportion of older people living in the UK reflects the ageing of those born during the 1960s baby boom, the extended longevity of the whole population and declining fertility rates amongst the younger population. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), in 2020 the population of the UK was 67.1 million. This agency estimates that by 2030, 21.8% of people in the UK will be aged 65 or over, 6.8% will be aged 75 or older and 3.2% will be 85 or over. The UK life expectancy at birth in 2018 to 2020 was 79.0 years for males and 82.9 years for females.

The median age for the UK’s population in 2020 was 40.5 (up from 34.4 in 1980) with the ONS predicting this will rise to 42.2 by 2035. The UK’s ageing population means that the workforce in the ‘over 50’ category is growing. The UK’s ageing workforce has considerable consequences for employers. According to the ONS in 2021 some 10.8% of the entire age group of those aged 65 or above were in work and this equated to more than 1.2 million people:

• People born post-World War II to 1964 are now in their fifties and sixties – the first reached the age of 70 in 2016.
• The UK default retirement age was abolished in 2011 – the consequence of which is that people may work for as long as they want or are able.
• Falling birth rates and increased life expectancies put pressure on public finances and pension schemes.
• People are likely to need to work longer to meet the labour market needs as exemplified by the impact of Brexit and the reduction in European workers coming to the UK.

The increase in numbers of older workers can be positive for employers and for staff. Research indicates that older workers tend to have more experience and be more loyal to their companies. Although more mature staff have a reduced risk of accidents, employers should note that they carry a higher risk of fatal accidents in certain sectors, for example in agriculture where fatality rates are higher for older workers. The rate of fatal injury does increase with age, as illustrated by the fact that according to the HSE, for the period 2016/17-2020/21 workers aged 60-64 were twice as likely to suffer a fatal injury when compared to the all ages rate, whilst workers aged 65 and over had a rate almost four times as high as the all ages rate.

Studies have shown that age can influence an individual’s physical strength, speed and cognitive functions (such as memory skills), but also that ageing is specific to each individual. It is therefore inadvisable, and potentially discriminatory, to generalise about the influence of age on these aspects of employability.

Equality law ensures that the UK Government is committed to raising employer awareness, and adoption of, flexible employment and retirement opportunities that are intended to promote the recruitment, retention and training of older workers. Effective health and safety management requires employers to ensure older workers can be both healthy and safe at work. To achieve this objective, the structure of recruitment, work and training may need to be reviewed by employers.

Breaking News!

DEADLINE EXTENDED!

We have some great news for all our retailers! Due to huge demand we are  extending the deadline for retail entries by two whole weeks! That’s right, you now have more time to get your amazing new products entered and be in the running for the prestigious British Frozen Food Awards in 2024!️ But beware because time flies in the run up to Christmas, so don’t delay! Submit your entries right away and make sure your brilliant new innovations get the recognition they deserve! The clock is ticking, and we don’t want you to miss out on the chance to make a lasting impact in the frozen food industry. Show us what you’ve got and let your innovation shine!

Enter Now

If you import animal products from EU and EFTA countries into Great Britain, join Defra’s two online information sessions in December. These sessions will tell you all you need to know about changes to import processes from 31 January 2024 and 30 April 2024 under the Border Target Operating Model.

Monday 4 December 2023, at 3pm GMT: changes to import processes for animal products from 31 January 2024

• The new risk-based import processes, and how to work out the risk category of your product.
• Making an import notification
• Export health certificates for high and medium risk products

 

Monday 11 December 2023 at 11am GMT: changes to import processes for animal products from 30 April 2024

• Entering through a port of entry with a border control post
• What happens at a border control post.

 

These sessions are relevant for all EU/EFTA to GB importers of:

• products of animal origin (POAO) for human consumption, including meat, fishery products and dairy products.
• germinal products
• composite products
• animal by-products

And their EU/EFTA suppliers.

 

Register on Eventbrite for these sessions to receive the Microsoft Teams link.

Learn more about the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) SPS Controls here.

Community Shop reveals its support for over 60,000 families, creation of 30.4million meals, and delivery of more than 174,000 personal development programmes over the decade.

Multi award-winning social enterprise, Community Shop, is marking a decade of transforming lives through surplus food, as it reveals the true impact of its unique food access model.

As the UK’s first social supermarket chain, Community Shop originated in South Yorkshire with aim of delivering affordable, dignified, and sustainable food aid for individuals and families living on the cusp of food poverty.

A decade on, Community Shop is generating positive, lasting change in 12 of the UK’s most deprived communities. By providing thousands of people with access to high-quality, low-cost food, and life-changing personal development support, Community Shop is building stronger individuals, and more confident communities.

Over the last ten years Community Shop has supported 61,498 families, created the equivalent of more than 30.4 million meals and saved its members – who receive welfare support – a collective £51.7m on their shopping. More than 200 industry partners have played a significant role through generous funding and surplus stock donations.

Within its Community Hubs, it has delivered 174,548 personal development programmes, working closely with more than 800 local partners. As a result, 2,453 members have gained new skills and qualifications, and 2,510 members have returned to work. In the Community Kitchens, alongside being a place to learn new cooking skills and build relationships with food, 809,157 children have eaten for free, and more than 10,000 Christmas dinners have been served, bringing communities together.

In conjunction with its parent organisation, Company Shop Group, Community Shop will be using its 10^th anniversary year to share its expertise and learnings with the sector as it leads the way in transforming and reframing the way food aid is accessed and delivered for the better.

To kick-start this work, the Group hosted a reception event which welcomed major players and supporters across retail, manufacturing, social policy and academia. Alongside words from the BRC’s CEO Helen Dickinson, John Marren MBE DL as Founder and Ainsley Harriott who praised Community Shop’s work, guests also heard a powerful member story, demonstrating first-hand the life-changing impact that Community Shop’s sustained, person-centred support has.

With the stores’ unique model also being shortlisted for two UK Social Enterprise Awards, a clear focus of the evening was Community Shop’s high ambitions for the future, as it looks to support even more communities with more stores, and welcome new and continued partnerships with businesses wanting to do something wholly positive and sustainable with their surplus. This will be supported by continued insight sharing and a series of food festivals throughout the year.

As a Federation it’s important that we practice what we preach, this week the British Frozen Food Federation team received manual handling training. Although office working and events are relatively low risk it is still important to consider this for adhoc activities. Surprising the GB 2022/23 statistics on the HSE website show the same rates for MSD’s in admin and support services as those of the construction industry. The team passed both the written assessment and practical sessions with flying colours.

For more on the HSE statistics, please see below: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/assets/docs/hssh2223.pdf

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published a summary of responses to the consultation on developing a modernised food hygiene delivery model in England.  

The consultation which ran between April and June this year, proposed the following developments: 

• a modernised food hygiene intervention rating scheme, including a decision matrix to determine the appropriate frequency of these controls based on the risk posed by a food business establishment. 
• an updated risk-based approach to the timescales (where not prescribed in legislation) for initial official controls of new food establishments, and undertaking due official controls.  
• increased flexibility as to the methods and techniques of official controls that can be used to risk rate an establishment, including the use of remote official controls.  
• extending the activities that officers, such as Regulatory Support Officers, who do not hold a ‘suitable qualification’ for food hygiene can, if competent, undertake. 

As well as a summary of responses, the FSA also provide comment to the feedback received for each proposal, including confirmation that the modernised food hygiene intervention rating scheme, the proposed food hygiene intervention scoring and planned official control frequencies (decision matrix approach) won’t be progressed.  

However, updating the risk-based approach to the timescales for initial official controls of new food establishments, and undertaking due official controls, will be taken forward. This includes triaging and prioritisation of new food businesses and due official controls and developing the FSA’s online ‘Register a Food Business’ (RAFB) system. Work will also be undertaken on the flexibility of the methods and techniques of official controls as well as on activities that officers who do not hold a ‘suitable qualification’ for food hygiene can undertake. 

You can read more detail here 

The Foods Standards Agency (FSA) is seeking views on proposals for a new framework that will regulate the use of precision bred organisms (PBOs) for food and animal feed. 

Precision breeding is a way of changing the DNA of plants or animals in a precise way, using techniques including gene-editing. Gene-editing uses specialised enzymes to cut DNA at specific points. These changes must be equivalent to those that could have been made using traditional plant or animal breeding methods.   

This makes precision breeding different to genetic modification. Genetic modification is when genes from one plant or animal species are inserted into another unrelated species in a way that is not possible using traditional breeding methods.  

Precision breeding can have many practical applications for food production, by introducing desirable traits in crops and livestock that could otherwise take many years to develop. This could include improving the nutritional content of plants or making crops more resistant to disease.  

Currently there are no crops or animals resulting from precision breeding technology that have been authorised for sale as food or animal feed in the UK. 

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 became law in England (only) in March. The Act provides for the creation of a new regulatory framework in England for the pre-market authorisation of precision bred organisms for use in food and animal feed and its enforcement.  

Due to the operation of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 and the Windsor Framework there are implications for the other UK nations as set out in the consultation.  

It is available on the FSA website, and responses are required by 8 January 2024, preferably using the online consultation form. Alternatively, you can respond via e-mail at: precisionbreeding@food.gov.uk 

A consultation pack is also available, which provides background information 

The FSA aim to publish a summary of responses received within three months of the consultation closing.