Recently I caught up with Sue Rowland (Regional Health & Safety Business Partner) and the audit team from Sysco at their Warrington RDC. It was quite an experience, focusing on compliance but at the same time very people centric.

Sue Rowland states: ‘the audit is about helping the site not beating them with a stick. We talk to people, we find solutions and change hearts and minds. During the 3-day audit the question we constantly ask ourselves is what are we doing to prevent our people being injured’

From left to right, Sue Rowland (Regional H&S), Martin Raby (General Manager), Simon Brentnall (BFFF), John Edwards (H&S), Andy Bryant (H&S), Andy Bryant (H&S).

During the audit the team showed me how their TOP X dynamic risk matrix works. Both distribution and warehousing display their top 10 hazards, these are dynamic and are displayed at the entrance of each area in a 3 x 3 risk matrix.

Talking to Martin Raby, general manager, he explained how he gets involved in with everyone on site by talking to people in the canteen and even playing pool with colleagues, I liked the fact Martin was walking the walk.

Thanks to Sysco and the team for this insight and opportunity.

New research carried out by researchers at the University of Warwick, has linked a healthy, balanced diet to better brain health and mental wellbeing. 

The study analysed the dietary choices of 181,990 participants from the UK Biobank against a range of physical evaluations, including cognitive function, blood tests, brain imaging and genetics. 

People were split into four subtypes; those with starch-free or reduced-starch diets; vegetarian; high protein and low fibre; and balanced. 

The research showed that a healthy, balanced diet was linked to superior brain health, cognitive function and mental wellbeing. The study sheds light on how our food preferences not only influence physical health but also significantly impact brain health. 

The UK Government Chemist has published the quarterly report summarising updates to UK legislation in food and feed law and related scientific and regulatory issues for the period from 1 October to 31 December 2023. 

The updates include links to UK and EU legislation, and other technical publications, such as FAO, which might be of interest. 

The report can be accessed here 

The Parliamentary Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) have confirmed that they have written to Defra raising concerns about the domestic vet shortage.  

The letter sent to the Defra Secretary on 7th May, states that the domestic vet shortage has worsened since the estimate of 11.5 per cent made in 2018 and warns that there is currently “no clear picture of the scale or nature of the shortages”. 

Among the workforce-related challenges facing the sector, MPs are concerned that the minimum salary thresholds, which stand at £48,100 for veterinary surgeons, could further diminish the UK’s access to veterinary resources and note that there has already been a significant reduction in vets from overseas coming to work in the UK in recent years. 

It also draws attention to the importance of meat hygiene inspectors amongst the veterinary professionals recruited from overseas.  

You can read more here 

Government have recently issued a response to John Shropshire’s independent review into labour shortages in the food supply chain.  

In response to the recommendations in the review, Defra have now confirmed that new measures will be implemented to support the industry, including:  

• An extension to the seasonal worker visa route until 2029. 43,000 visas will be available to the horticulture sector in 2025, plus 2,000 visas for poultry. Further information on the number of visas available for 2026 to 2029 will be released later this year. 
• Up to £50 million of further funding for new technology to support fully automated packhouses. 
• More support to bring robotic crop pickers on a par with human pickers in 3-5 years. 
• The creation of a strategy to enhance skills provision and attract domestic workers.  

The independent review can be accessed here and the Government response here 

The Department for Business and trade (DBT) have recently published updated guidance in relation to UK Trade Tariff duty suspensions and autonomous tariff quotas (ATQs).  

Duty suspensions are designed to help UK and Crown Dependency (Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey) businesses remain competitive in the global marketplace. They do this by suspending import duties on certain goods, normally those used in domestic production.  

These suspensions do not apply to other duties that may be chargeable like VAT or trade remedies duty, such as anti-dumping duty. 

Duty suspensions allow unlimited quantities to be imported into the UK at a reduced tariff rate. Autonomous tariff quotas (ATQs) allow limited quantities to be imported at a reduced rate. 

The guidance has been updated to include a new 2024 tariff suspensions window, which runs until 3rd July 2024.  

Further information can be found here  

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have recently issued consumer guidance on ultra-processed food. The guidance explains what an ‘ultra-processed’ is, it’s importance in the processing of food, and the role and work of the FSA in relation to ‘ultra-processed’ foods.  

Broadly speaking, FSA research shows that people have high levels of confidence in the food they eat. However, since August 2023, ultra-processed food has been one of the top three concerns raised by consumers with three out of four consumers surveyed saying they are worried. 

However, while there is a correlation between poorer health outcomes and diets that are high in ultra-processed food, the FSA still don’t know whether it is because these foods are unhealthy because of how they are made, or if it’s because a large majority of processed foods are high in calories, saturated fat, salt and sugar. 

You will find the guidance here