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BIDFOOD AND CARBONCLOUD JOIN FORCES TO INITIATE TRANSFORMATION IN THE SUPPY CHAIN CARBON MANAGEMENT

Bidfood, one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, has announced a strategic collaboration with CarbonCloud, a pioneer in climate intelligence technology. This partnership marks Bidfood’s commitment in supply chain carbon management as it aims to calculate its climate footprint across the value chain.

With a strong commitment to sustainability, Bidfood has set robust climate targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045 across all scopes. To achieve these goals, Bidfood recognises the importance of data accuracy in measuring and reducing its full carbon footprint, including the Scope 3 category Purchased Goods & Services, which is traditionally the least visible and hardest to measure element of a food businesses carbon footprint.

Calculating Purchased Goods and Services is a significant challenge for companies in the food system as the category usually accounts for the majority of Scope 3 emissions. Carbon management in this category calls for sustained collaborative action throughout the supply chain, and the data required for the calculations is often difficult to pinpoint.

With state-of-the-art automation, CarbonCloud’s innovative platform streamlines this process, providing Bidfood and its suppliers the opportunity to connect securely and seamlessly for better climate insights. As a first stage, Bidfood will have the initial climate footprint of its product range calculated swiftly in 2024.

“We’re thrilled to embark on this exciting collaboration with CarbonCloud and start collaborating with our suppliers on a single platform. Data integrity and scalability for our value chain is an important step towards achieving our sustainability objectives,” says Jim Gouldie, Supply Chain and Technical Services Director at Bidfood.

A key strength of CarbonCloud’s platform is its ability to connect the entire supply chain network. By mapping out the value chain of each product, from farm to retail gate, CarbonCloud enables real-time updates and ensures that the data quality and accuracy are instantly reflected across the network. This network effect fosters collaboration across the value chain, allowing food industry

stakeholders to measure, share, and compare their climate footprints on equal ground. Bidfood and its stakeholders will be able to exchange emissions data securely and evaluate the climate impact of various products, even when dealing with diverse categories.

“Bidfood’s forward-thinking approach to climate impact makes them an ideal partner and we are thrilled to join forces. The partnership marks a new era of sustainability in the foodservice industry. By collaborating on advanced climate calculations, we are taking a significant step toward a net-zero value chain and collaborative future,” says David Bryngelsson, CEO & Founder of CarbonCloud.

APPLICATION AND USE OF IDENTIFICATION MARKS FOR POAO AFTER 31ST DEC 2023

The FSA are reminding businesses that the 36-month adjustment period allowing food businesses to continue to apply labels containing the ‘UK/EC’ identification mark to products of animal origin (POAO) in Great Britain will come to an end on the 31 December 2023.

During the 36-month adjustment period which has been running, it has been possible for approved food businesses to use existing stocks of labels, wrapping and packaging bearing the ‘UK/EC’ identification mark (ID Mark) for products being placed on the GB market, but by 31st December 2023, approved food businesses should be compliant. Applying labels, wrapping, and packaging materials that carry the ‘UK/EC’ identification mark after this date will be unlawful.

Any products that have the ‘UK/EC’ identification mark applied before the 1st January 2024 will be allowed to remain on the market. There is no requirement for products bearing the ‘UK/EC’ identification mark, that are already on the market or in storage to be re-labelled from 1 January 2024.

The FSA will be amending its ‘Guidance on health and identification marks that apply from 1 January 2021’ webpage in due course.

CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY FROM CARELESS DRIVING, FLEET OPERATORS BEWARE!

In June 2022, a new offence came into force for causing serious injury from careless driving in the UK under the police crime and sentencing act 2022 and inserted into the road traffic act. The offence closes the gap where careless driving has caused life changing injury (not death).

The offence would mean the driver would have caused serious injury without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users. In addition, offence amendments to the highway code giving a hierarchy of road users placing a duty of those that create to greatest harm.

Drivers who have even momentary lapses in concentration that lead to a serious injury may expect to be investigated and charged with this new offence.

Where a ‘vulnerable road user’ such as a pedestrian or cyclist has sustained a serious injury, this may give rise to a more severe sentence. It’s important to note the definition of serious injury under the legislation can be as little as a broken bone. The new offence is an ‘either-way offence’, meaning it can either be heard in the Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court. If convicted of causing serious injury by careless driving a driver could face the maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment if the case is heard by the Crown Court, or up to maximum of 12 months’ imprisonment if dealt with by the Magistrates’ Court.

The police investigation will involve the driver being invited to an interview under caution where not only will they be at risk of incrimination, but also potentially you as their employer. A large part of the police questioning the driver will revolve around training, policies and procedures and, crucially, the culture within the company in relation to the risks associated with driving. In essence this interview is used to explore the possibility of offence by both the driver as well as their employer.

Fleet operators must educate their drivers on this new offence, the seriousness of it, and the approach to legal representation for police interviews under caution. HR teams will also need to review organisations’ approaches around disciplinary and internal investigations where the driver is subject to a lengthy police investigation relating to an offence carrying a custodial sentence.

BFFF are currently in the process of speaking with insurance and legal contacts to find out more on how this could impact its members.

If you have any thoughts on this topic please contact simonbrentnall@bfff.co.uk

For more guidance on this topic, see below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-crime-sentencing-and-courts-bill-2021-factsheets/police-crime-sentencing-and-courts-bill-2021-road-traffic-offences-factsheet

Causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving

INCPEN CITIZENS SURVEY REVEALS MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR UK WIDE CONSISTENT RECYCLING POLICIES

On Tuesday 13th December BFFF attended an INCPEN webinar where they revealed the headlines from their annual citizens survey covering…

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HELP NEEDED FOR WINTER COATS CAMPAIGN

Family business Oakland International and Attwell Farm Park have partnered in support of Hope4’s Winter Coats Campaign to collect as many winter coats and warm clothes as possible for children in great need in the Ukraine and Moldova.

Oakland International have donated the transport to take all donated items its partner depot in Chisinau in Moldova where they will be distributed and sent to those most in need in both Moldova and Ukraine. Hope4 is a small charity based in Moldova which provides immediate and urgent support to Ukrainian Refugees and very poor families in Moldova and the Ukraine.

Oakland International’s Luke Attwell explained: “A large percentage of the children the campaign will be supporting in Moldova are Ukrainian refugees needing urgent help, and we hope to send a full lorry load of warm clothing, so please donate warm clothes and anything essential to help keep these children warm this winter. Any, and all help will be greatly appreciated.”

“Having visited Hope4 in Moldova and seen the work that is being done first hand to directly support those most in need, I can assure everyone donating that every item will find its way to someone in need.”

Good quality used winter coats, warm clothing, hats, scarves, gloves can all be dropped off at Attwell Farm Park in Beoley, Redditch, and new items ordered online can be sent direct to Oakland International at the following address:

Winter Coat Campaign, Oakland International, Seafield Lane, Beoley, Redditch, B98 9DB.

People can also donate via their fundraising page to enable them to buy coats for children: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/coats4christmas

Supported by private donors who cover all operating costs Hope4 works to change the impact of poverty, crime and conflict for so many people here in the UK, Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.

Samuel Attwell added: “By donating you will be supporting so many displaced children living in poverty so please help Hope4 keep children warm this winter, as temperatures drop to -5c in Moldova.”

FRESH DIRECT EXPECTS A CHRISTMAS OF THE TRADITIONAL AND THE INNOVATIVE

Fresh Direct, the UK’s leading foodservice provider of fresh produce, is predicting that innovation will help drive sales of traditional vegetables this Christmas.

Traditional vegetables continue to perform well, with volumes up year on year, pointing to some more normality returning to Christmas trading. However, the growth in prepared products is more spectacular, up by around 20% as the festive period comes closer and pressures on kitchens increase, with fewer and less skilled staff available.

The company is seeing greater sales of specialist ingredients including quince, bergamot orange, and Douglas Forest Fir, as venues seek different flavour profiles and menu standout. These are joining twists on popular veg with coloured varieties, for example purple heritage and rainbow carrots, proving particularly popular this year, along with baby vegetables, such as baby turnips.

This year, Fresh Direct’s M&J Fresh Seafood is seeing more twists on the traditional, for example popular classics like smoked salmon are getting a festive makeover with flavours such as orange and fennel pollen elevating the more traditional variety; and Loch Reared Trout is proving popular with flavours, including Beetroot and Dill and Kedgeree Spiced Trout, giving a new flavour combination to this popular fish.

Ian Nottage, Head of Food Development, Fresh Direct, said: “Christmas isn’t just about carrots and sprouts, there are around 250 different prepared fruit and veg lines available as customers look for opportunities to create menu standout.

“Christmas favourites will always dominate, but we’re also seeing a huge increase in prepared ranges with whole prepared Butternut Squash, Prepared Swede, quartered parsnip and diced potato seeing some of the greatest growth.”

Member Benefits

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