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He can't tie his own shoelaces and his Vespa scooter strains to bear his weight - in one week, its wheels broke seven times.

"He eats constantly," says his mother Anna.

Salvatore is among a growing number of Italian children and teenagers living with obesity. The problem is particularly acute in the south: in parts of the Campania region, more than 40% of eight and nine-year-olds are overweight. The town of Ponticelli, on the outskirts of Naples, has earned the unenviable reputation as one of the world's child obesity capitals.

It is a striking development in a country long regarded as the spiritual home of the Mediterranean diet. Yet today, Italian children are among the most overweight in Europe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Salvatore is waiting for life-changing surgery at the Betania Hospital in Ponticelli, where Dr Sonja Chiappetta has spent 15 years treating patients with severe obesity.

Until recently, she says, most of her patients were in their fifties. "Now I see those same patients when they're teenagers, as young as 16. They are getting younger, and it's frightening."

The surgery she carries out removes up to 90% of the stomach - meaning people are unable to eat large quantities of food. Demand has risen sharply in this part of Italy.

But Salvatore has been told he cannot get the operation. His weight is so excessive it makes the surgery too dangerous.

Instead, Dr Chiappetta has prescribed him a GLP-1 weight-loss injection to reduce his appetite and help him lose enough weight for the operation.

For decades, Italy was held up as a model of healthy eating.

The Mediterranean diet - rich in vegetables, legumes, olive oil, whole grains and fish - became famous after US physiologist Ancel Keys and his wife, biochemist Margaret Keys, studied communities in southern Italy in the 1950s and linked their habits to remarkably low rates of heart disease.

Their research transformed a regional way of eating into one of the world's best-known diets; a blueprint for healthy living.

But the Italy that inspired those studies no longer exists.

"The traditional Mediterranean diet has been lost," says Doctor Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California. "Only 10% of Italians really follow it."

Dr Longo sums up the modern Italian diet with what he calls the "five Ps": pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein and pane - the Italian word for bread.

The transformation is visible everywhere: from supermarket shelves stocked with ultra-processed foods to pizzerias selling slices piled high with chips, sausages and fried snacks.

Doctor Roberto Berni Canani, a paediatrician and obesity specialist at the Federico II University in Naples, sees the consequences every day.

"I've treated children who are just two or three years old and already weigh 25kg," he says.

He says most parents don't recognise their children are overweight. "They come to see me because of other problems - a cough, stomach pain, diarrhoea. They don't realise their child's weight is what's causing it."

Italy's child obesity time-bomb

Italian children have become some of the most overweight in Europe - what can be done to help them?

Ten-year-old Francesca has a persistent cough and struggles to swallow. Doctors suspect an inflammatory condition of the oesophagus.

She weighs 60kg (9st 6lb) - but that's not why her parents have sought medical help.

Francesca says she eats bread with Nutella for breakfast, a chocolate-filled sponge cake as a snack, pasta with lentils for lunch and usually chicken for dinner.

"But she doesn't eat vegetables," her mother, Carmen, interjects. "I put them in front of her, but she won't touch them."

Francesca's parents insist she is active. She does artistic gymnastics and Latin dance, and doesn't get tired. They have never considered her weight as a problem.

Dr Berni Canani reaches a different conclusion.

The problem, he explains, is the overall pattern rather than any single meal. Small, calorie-dense foods consumed throughout the day, sugary drinks, too few fruit and vegetables and little understanding of how these habits accumulate over time.

"This is a very good mother," he says. "A very good father. They simply don't recognise the importance of diet quality and body weight."

By the time many families arrive at his clinic, unhealthy habits have already become deeply ingrained. They begin at home and are reinforced at school.

And in Italy, encouraging children to be more active can be surprisingly difficult.

Many schools are housed in beautiful old palazzi - they were never designed with modern physical education in mind.

The Ugo Foscolo primary school is no exception. Its gym has barely enough space for a class of children to move around.

"I have one pupil I'm particularly concerned about," says Francesca Pecce, who teaches at the school. "He's 10 years old and weighs around 60 kilograms."

She has tried raising the issue with his mother.

"But she is not worried," Pecce says. "In Neapolitan culture, if a child is a little chubby with rosy cheeks, people often think they're healthy."

Schools, she believes, can help change that, especially if children "take home" lessons about healthy eating.

"Sometimes it's easier to educate the parents through their children than the other way round."

At a secondary school in Naples, students file into a classroom for a nutrition workshop run by the Valter Longo Foundation.

The programme is part of a regional initiative to tackle childhood obesity. Over the coming months, more than 17,000 students across 25 schools will take part. Families will receive support to help change eating habits at home.

But not all of the students are convinced.

Eighteen-year-old Ciro doubts that information alone will change behaviour.

"My classmates already know what's healthy," he says. "They just don't care."

Carmen, 19, is more optimistic.

"I thought it was actually really helpful because teenagers today are really big into junk food, and don't exercise as much."

She says the problem is that temptation is everywhere. Even foods traditionally associated with Italy have changed.

"When we go out for pizza, people don't just order a Margherita. They put chips, sausages and fried food on top."

Add to that the centuries-old cliches of Italian mothers and grandmothers showing their love through food, and it's a perfect storm.

Obesity is an "escalating global epidemic", says the WHO. More than one billion people worldwide are now obese, and childhood obesity has quadrupled since 1990.

In 2025, Italy became the first country to pass a national law recognising obesity as a chronic, progressive and relapsing disease.

Rather than treating obesity simply as the result of poor choices, the country's new law recognises it as a chronic disease influenced by biology, environment and social circumstances.

The Campania region has become a testing ground for putting that philosophy into practice, implementing a series of ambitious interventions - including a controversial trial of a "fast-mimicking diet".

Researchers are recruiting 300 overweight adolescents who will spend five days every three months on a controlled diet of 1,100 calories on day one and 770 calories on following four days - so restrictive it resembles a fast.

The goal is to trigger a "metabolic reset".

"Fasting, or controlled deprivation of food, is linked to a longer and healthier lifespan," says Dr Longo, who has spent three decades studying the effects of fasting.

But not all obesity specialists are persuaded that fasting is the right approach for children.

Paediatrician Berni Canani believes the evidence for fasting-mimicking diets in children is still too limited to be recommended in Italy's clinical guidelines.

He also worries restrictive diets could carry psychological risks for adolescents, whose relationship with food is still developing.

"I fear that imposing food restrictions on teenagers could increase the risk of eating disorders, anorexia and body dysmorphia," he says.

Meanwhile, Salvatore hopes to have surgery in the summer, so that, for the first time in years, he can wear a swimming costume without feeling self-conscious.

But he is not alone. Across Italy, a generation of children is growing up increasingly removed from the Mediterranean diet that once made the country famous.

Additional reporting by Bob Howard.

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Italy was once a model of healthy eating - now it has a child obesity problem

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The Mediterranean diet was a blueprint for healthy living, yet Italian children are among the most overweight in Europe according to WHO.

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Waitrose to suspend mackerel sales due to overfishing concerns

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The supermarket chain says it will stop sourcing fresh, chilled and frozen mackerel by 29 April.

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British Lion Eggs | What Does the Lion Stamp Mean | Egg Info

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The British Lion is the UK’s most successful food safety scheme, responsible for a drastic reduction to the presence of salmonella in UK eggs. Over 90% of UK eggs are now produced under the British Lion scheme and more than 130 billion British Lion eggs have been sold since its launch in 1998.

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BBC Sounds - The Fibre Factor - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of The Fibre Factor on BBC Sounds.

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Ask Italian Restaurants - Wild Farmed and Sustainability

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Ask Italian Restaurants - Wild Farmed and Sustainability

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OUR WILDFARMED PIZZA

We're passionate about delicious pizza. And want everyone to enjoy it for generations (and generations, and generations) to come. So that's why we're taking the impact of our food to heart and why we're committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

By partnering with Wildfarmed, who share our belief that pizza flour can be made better for people, planet and plate, we're pioneering a new way of doing things.

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Learn more about how ASK Italian supports sustainability by using Wildfarmed flour.

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Wildfarmed grows wheat the right way making regenerative flour and bread that tastes better, is better for you and for the planet.

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2,000 cans a minute: Inside Coca-Cola’s Sidcup bottling powerhouse

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Food manufacture steps inside Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ (CCEP) south-east London facility in Sidcup to find out more about its recent investments into machinery and people.

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The Food Chain - Food by drones? - BBC Sounds

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From hot takeaways to emergency aid, are autonomous aircraft the future?

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End of Buy One, Get One Free on Unhealthy Foods in Supermarkets

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End of Buy One, Get One Free on Unhealthy Foods in Supermarkets

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‘Buy one, get one free’ deals for unhealthy food banned in supermarkets

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Crisps, sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks will be covered by restrictions starting in England.

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Is it safe to wash up the 'British Way'?

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Is it safe to wash up the 'British Way'?

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Is It Safe To Clean Your Dishes The ‘British Way’? Health Experts Explain

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After a viral TikTok showed no-rinse “washing up,” experts explain soap-residue and bacteria risks—and how to clean dishes safely at home.

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The Food Chain - Is anyone following dietary guidelines? - BBC Sounds

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Exploring how realistic official healthy-eating advice is

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BBC Sounds - Food Plants - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of Food Plants on BBC Sounds

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4. Farm machinery, precision agriculture, big data

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Podcast · TABLEdebates.org · From October-December 2024, Fuel to Fork is taking over Feed: a food systems podcast. Fossil fuels are the lifeblood of our food system. This 7-episode series exposes their hidden role in the food we eat– revealing how food accounts for 15% of global fossil fuel use. If we want to tackle climate change, we can’t leave food off the plate.Fuel to Fork is a collaboration between TABLE, IPES-Food, and the Global Alliance for the Future of Food.Feed, a project of TABLE, is in conversation with diverse experts who are trying to transform the food system. TABLE is a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Wageningen University in the Netherlands, National Autonomous University of Mexico and University of the Andes in Colombia. This podcast is operated by SLU. For more info, visit https://tabledebates.org/podcast/

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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Steph McGovern are determined to help us all live well, revealing the easy fixes to dramatically improve our diet, fitness and mental wellbeing.

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BBC Sounds - The Food Programme - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of The Food Programme on BBC Sounds

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BBC Sounds - Food For Living - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of Food For Living on BBC Sounds.

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BBC Sounds - The Food Chain - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of The Food Chain on BBC Sounds.

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The Secret Genius of Modern Life - Series 1: 2. Food Delivery App

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Hannah Fry tucks into the tech behind food delivery apps.

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Nutrition, mental and physical health and sport - F1

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Nutrition, mental and physical health and sport - F1

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McLaren Racing unveils state-of-the-art Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance Hub

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The Optimum Nutrition McLaren Performance Hub marks a significant milestone in McLaren’s commitment to unlocking human performance and supporting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of its people

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Gregg Wallace, Philippa Forester and James Manning witness the harvest unfold. The Hay family in Scotland await a dry spell to roll out their combine harvesters.

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The Food Chain - What Olympians eat - BBC Sounds

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Catch up on your favourite BBC radio show from your favourite DJ right here, whenever you like. Listen without limits with BBC Sounds.

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Tens of thousands of children who became overweight or obese during the pandemic could face "lifelong health consequences", researchers say.

Obesity rates rose sharply among 10 and 11-year-olds in England and have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Measures aimed at children under five are now needed to tackle childhood obesity, the researchers warn.

The government said it was taking "strong action" to encourage healthier food choices.

A prolonged absence from school, a lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits have been blamed for rising obesity levels in children during periods of Covid restrictions.

Between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, the proportion of overweight and obese Year 6 primary school children, aged between 10 and 11, went from 35.2% to 40.9%, with people from deprived areas disproportionately affected.

Researchers used BMI data from the government's National Child Measurement Programme, which weighs and measures about one million Year 6 pupils annually in England.

The number of overweight and obese pupils of that age decreased the following year, but it was still higher than before the Covid lockdowns.

This increase represents a cohort of an additional 56,000 children, researchers from the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and University of Southampton say - based on this snapshot.

Based on existing data linking childhood obesity to adolescent and adult obesity, they conclude that many of those children are at greater risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, strokes, arthritis and some types of cancer.

"What the data shows is that the pandemic is likely to have lasting effects on physical health in the children," Prof Keith Godfrey, the report's lead author, said.

There was a larger increase in weight gain among Reception pupils aged four and five, but that has now reverted to its previous level.

Prof Godfrey said this was likely to be because of the Year 6 pupils' more advanced "developmental stage".

"In the older children, the dietary and physical activity habits that were developed during the pandemic became more embedded and did not revert back," he said.

Early intervention

The researchers say measures to tackle childhood obesity aimed at pre-school children are needed and are likely to be more effective than measures focused on older children.

"At the moment the interventions largely centre around a sugar tax, which has probably been effective to a degree, but it needs a much wider engagement."

Changes to certain food placements in shops, a ban on fast food stores next to schools, and increased priority of physical activity in nurseries and pre-schools should be introduced into new policies, Prof Godfrey told the BBC.

He said government funding was needed to narrow the gap in health outcomes between advantaged and disadvantaged people.

"Those from less advantaged communities have less access to healthy foods and less access to opportunities for physical activity. It doesn't come down to personal choice or to parenting preferences or behaviours," he said.

Sara Stanner, science director at the British Nutrition Foundation, said childhood obesity rates were already "worryingly high" before the pandemic and that this study "underlines the need for action, particularly in areas of deprivation".

"With many children starting school already overweight, it's important that we intervene in early life.

"Tackling obesity needs action across many areas of our society, but supporting children's health in the early years should be a key part of any approach," Ms Stanner said.

The Department for Health and Social Care said it was trying to tackle obesity across all socio economic groups.

A spokesperson said: "We require labelling on pre-packed foods to set out a variety of information to aid shoppers, including a list of ingredients and nutritional data, and we have introduced legislation to restrict the placement of foods high in fat, sugar or salt in supermarkets."

It said it also runs a Healthy Start scheme, encouraging healthy diets for families from lower-income households.

Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. You can also:

Cost to society

The researchers also used economic data to conclude additional people living with obesity as a result of the pandemic could eventually cost the UK economy more than £8bn in total, including £800m in healthcare costs.

"Given that the current epidemic of childhood obesity has yet to completely play out into adulthood, there are concerns that productivity actually might worsen as a consequence of this rise," Prof Godfrey said.

More than 90% of children in the two age groups in England are measured and weighed in the National Child Measurement Programme each year, which researchers say is representative of the population.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

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Child obesity in pandemic could have lifelong effects, study says

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Researchers say children who gained weight in the pandemic could develop diseases later in life.

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The FSA said symptoms caused by STEC organisms include severe diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

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At least 30 E.coli cases may be linked to recalled cheese - HSA

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At least 30 cases of E.coli may be linked to Mrs Kirkham's cheese, the UK Health Security Agency says.

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Chicken - How chicken got big. Unwrapping the forces that shape what we eat. How we changed chicken and how it changed us.

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Chicken - How chicken got big. Unwrapping the forces that shape what we eat. How we changed chicken and how it changed us.

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BBC Sounds - Fed with Chris van Tulleken - Available Episodes

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Listen to the latest episodes of Fed with Chris van Tulleken on BBC Sounds

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Pectin and jam making

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Summer might be over, but that doesn't mean we can't still jam. As we welcome fall with open arms and a closet full of chunky sweaters, we also get to usher in the opportunity to smear apple jelly on everything in sight.

As you peel and chop late summer and fall fruit with an eye to preserving it, you may wonder when and how you should use pectin when making homemade jams and jellies. Here's what you need to know.

What is pectin?

"[Pectin] is what gives a jam its thickness, and a jelly or marmalade its jelly-like consistency," explains Jessica Koslow, author of The Sqirl Jam Book. All fruit naturally contains pectin; it's found in the peel, seeds, and cores. For home cooks, pectin is most often used when making jams and jellies. Some jam recipes call for commercial pectin to be added to the mix. Here's when you should and shouldn't use pectin, the suitable substitutes for this thickening agent, and how to make pectin at home using just two ingredients: apples and water.

Why cooks use pectin

When we talk in recipes about added pectin, we're referring to commercial pectin sold in a dried or liquid form. It's added to homemade (and commercially produced) jams and jellies to not only thicken the cooked fruit into a spreadable form, but also to create a higher yield. "Commercial pectin is going to set reliably every time and requires a lot less guesswork to tell if jam is ready," says Camilla Wynne, author of .

When you make jam, you start by cooking down a batch of fruit - say strawberries or peaches - with sugar and a little bit of lemon juice. By cooking the fruit, you're slowly releasing the water content to thicken the mixture. But as the water evaporates, the yield of the mixture in the pot decreases. By adding pectin near the beginning of the cooking process, the fruit mixture will thicken to the ideal consistently nearly immediately, allowing you to fill many more jars of jam than you would without pectin.

First, know your fruit

Fruits have varying degrees of pectin levels, and that will impact your jam process. "While you can generally feel comfortable omitting any added pectin from recipes that call for high-pectin fruits, the same can't be said for recipes that use low-pectin fruits," Wynne notes. Low-pectin fruits include tropical and peak summer fruit such as cherries, strawberries, pears, peaches, and rhubarb. Other berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are somewhere in the middle. The good news is that fall is a great time for high pectin fruit, says Wynne; crabapples, apples, quince, cranberries, and plums all have extremely high levels of pectin, which means that adding commercial pectin to jellies and jams made with these fruits isn't so essential.

When to use dried or liquid pectin

Most recipes will call for a specific type of pectin, but if they don't, Wynne advises home cooks to default to the standard powdered version. Koslow adds that the two forms are used entirely differently during the cooking process. "Powdered pectin traditionally should be added to the fruit pre-boiling, while liquid pectin must be added to the hot liquid mixture near the end of boiling," she says, adding, "Liquid pectin also has a shorter shelf life." But they're not entirely different - both dried and liquid pectin are made from citrus peels, which is the highest pectin-yielding fruit and requires less sugar to set.

The downsides of cooking with pectin

There are, however, a couple of reasons to not use pectin when making jam and jelly. "My prejudice against pectin is that it's usually added right when the mix comes to a boil, which means that much of the water hasn't cooked off so the delicious fruit flavor isn't as concentrated. When I do use it, I add it right at the end of the cooking process just for a little bit of added security," explains Wynne.

But what if you really don't want to add pectin to your fruit spreads? You don't have to, but proceed carefully. "If you are really anti-pectin, you can omit it, but you'll need to cook the jam longer. Doing so will remove most of the water content in order to get it to set up properly and in turn, will result in a smaller yield," adds Wynne.

How to substitute for pectin

Don't have pectin on hand? One ingredient that can come to the rescue is agar agar, which is a plant-based gelatin substitute that's a suitable substitute for pectin when making jams and jellies. For tips on how to use it, we turned to Sarah Owens, author of Toast and Jam: Modern Recipes for Rustic Baked Goods and Sweet and Savory Spreads. She advises dissolving a few grams (less than a teaspoon) in a ladle or two of warm liquid from your jam or jelly, stirring it in toward the end of cooking. Bring your preserves to a boil for two to three minutes before transferring to sterilized jars.

Koslow's go-to substitute for pectin is a cooking method called "plumping." Plumping involves letting the fruit sit in the sugar and lemon juice for hours (or days, if you'd like!) before cooking," says Koslow. "It pulls out a lot of the moisture and allows the fruit to absorb as much sugar as possible, so when the mixture is turned into a preserve, the texture is denser than if cooked immediately after combining the fruit, sugar, and acid."

How to make your own pectin with apples

This is, hands down, the ultimate fall cooking project. You can skip the commercial stuff altogether and make your own pectin using a high-pectin fruit like apples to make a stock that can be used instead of commercial pectin. If you can, use crabapples, which have lots of natural pectin and are less sweet than other varieties. To make homemade fruit pectin, Owens says to start with four cups of water for each pound of apples. Coarsely chop the apples, including the cores. Place the fruit in a large saucepan, plus two cups of the water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture into a large bowl through cheesecloth (don't squeeze the pulp). Return the pulp to the pot and add the remaining water. Place over medium heat and return to a simmer, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes, then strain the batch once more. If you follow this recipe exactly, you should end up with appropriately one quart of apple stock, which is ready to use immediately, says Owens (it will last for up to one week in the refrigerator). Keep in mind that four cups of apple pectin stock will replace approximately three ounces of commercial liquid pectin.

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A guide to when to use pectin, why you need to use it, the types of dried and liquid pectin, and how to make your own pectin

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Our Purpose.

"Celebrating real connections through
delicious, planet-friendly food."

At McCain, sustainability goes to the heart of our purpose as a business. That purpose means putting agronomy at the forefront of all we do to ensure healthier soils which lead to more sustainably sourced food. It means reducing our climate impact and supporting the communities where we operate. As a global leader in prepared food products, we have the opportunity to innovate, tackle challenges and drive positive change for our business, people and the planet, with our partners and growers at the heart of this journey.

We are excited to share our 2022 Global Sustainability Report. You can watch our progress video, read the report and explore our updates by pillar.

Spotlight on our 2022 Sustainability Report.

If you have any questions about McCain Foods, check out our FAQs.

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mccain foods; sustainability; planet-friendly; farming; agriculture; food; rural; sustainability report;

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Learn about McCain's ethical, social and environmental commitments on our journey to make planet-friendly food.

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We don't play hot potato with our planet. Sustainability is the future of crisps, and as one of the nation's favourite brands in the UK food market, we're committed to playing our part.

Our Commitment

Our Commitment? To ensure that every potato we use is sustainably sourced from British farms, and grown and harvested with sustainable methods.

To make this happen, we researched what sustainable agriculture looks like all over the world - from environmental regulations to labour laws - and launched our Sustainable Farming Program, also known as the SFP.

We've developed over 100 principles (114 to be precise) - which define Walkers' environmental, social and economic responsibilities.

THREE PLEDGES

SUSTAINABLE FARMing PROGRAM

If you'd like to find out more about our pledge to the sustainable farming program, click here.

We pledge to uphold environmentally-friendly farming, to protect the planet and preserve it for future generations. After all, who wants to live in a world without crisps?

People are more important than potatoes (yes, really). That's why we do business in a way that ensures the safety and wellbeing of our employees, as well as those we work with in the farming community.

We're no farmers, but we take time to nurture our crop of partnerships. We hold ourselves (and the farmers who supply us) to the highest economic standards, to make sure those livelihoods are supported.

We pledge to uphold environmentally-friendly farming, to protect the planet and preserve it for future generations. After all, who wants to live in a world without crisps?

"In an effort to find sustainable alternatives, we're trialling fertiliser made from food waste produced by our crisps plants, which means every part of the potato gets put to use."

People are more important than potatoes (yes, really). That's why we do business in a way that ensures the safety and wellbeing of our employees, as well as those we work with in the farming community.

"We've been working with Walkers supply farms for generations, and pride ourselves on these stable, long-lasting relationships, which are built on mutual respect."

We're no farmers, but we take time to nurture our crop of partnerships. We hold ourselves (and the farmers who supply us) to the highest economic standards, to make sure those livelihoods are supported.

"Working with our farmers, we use an app called CropTrak to make sure we're operating as efficiently as possible. This tool makes the production process run more efficiently from end to end, with less waste."

TRUST OUR SPUDS

Every British farm we work with is proud to follow these principles. But don't just take our word for it; we regularly pick a sample of farms to check, using a third party called Control Union - a leading certification body in the global agriculture industry.

Fresh Taste

Founded in 1948 by Henry Walker, we've put unbeatable quality at the heart of everything we do for over 70 years...

We harvest the finest potatoes from farms all over Britain - and when they reach our factory, they're floated out of the truck to keep them in perfect nick.

Our spuds are washed, peeled, sliced and cooked to give them that golden glow, and seasoned whilst warm with our famous flavours!

We're aiming for potato perfection, so we run taste tests six times a day. And for you to enjoy the great Walkers taste, we use protective packets to lock in freshness, so your crisps taste as good as the day they were cooked... that's the Walkers guarantee.

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I am writing in response to your article as one of the scientists named in it ( Scientists on panel defending ultra-processed foods linked to food firms, 28 September). I am a researcher at Quadram Institute Bioscience with almost 40 years' research experience. My research focuses on the mechanisms by which food and its composition underpin health benefits or harms.

As a government-supported institute, we are encouraged to engage with industry to maximise the impact of our publicly funded research, to translate the findings towards benefiting the public. We work with food companies from time to time to try to help improve the health impacts of foods.

The benefit of working with industry is that we can access processing technologies and understand the role of processing in a real world environment. While most of my research has been publicly funded, a small amount has been collaboratively supported by food companies to tackle specific issues around food processing and functionality.

The definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is generic and not based on current scientific evidence. This results in the classification incorporating foods that have been designed to have a positive impact on health.

We cannot say that all UPFs are unhealthy, in the same way that we cannot say that all unprocessed foods are healthy. We just want an objective, science-based evaluation of the impact of foods on health, irrespective of the level of processing and to move away from the inaccurate position that all processed foods are bad.
Prof Pete Wilde
Quadram Institute Bioscience

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Follow the science: ultra-processed foods aren't all unhealthy | Letter

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Letter: Scientists work with food companies to try to improve the health impacts of foods, says Prof Peter Wilde

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Why Real Saffron Is So Expensive | So Expensive

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Local Farm, Loddington, is having to diversify

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Local Farm, Loddington, is having to diversify

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LODDINGTON FARM

FARMING WITH NATURE

At Loddington Farm we are changing the way produce is grown. It's not conventional farming, it's not 'organic' farming, it's farming with nature instead of chemicals to produce more nutritious, more environmentally-friendly food. Come and see for yourself...

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Home | Loddington Farm | Regenerative Farming in Kent, England

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Loddington Farm is a fifth generation apple and pear farm in the heart of the Kent countryside.

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This show is on BBC iPlayer and is great for links to cultures and cuisines.

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Take a look behind the scenes at some of the most extraordinary hotels across the globe.

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Pompeii archaeologists discover 'pizza' painting

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Experts say the flatbread depicted in the 2,000 year-old fresco may be a precursor to the Italian dish.

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Is it possible to eat seafood in a sustainable way?

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Is it possible to eat seafood in a sustainable way?

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World Ocean Day falls on 8 June this year, and it's got us thinking about the environmental impacts of fishing for and consuming seafood. Here's what the experts say about whether it's possible to eat fish sustainably.

On average, we eat just over one portion of fish a week per person in the UK. While some say we should eat more due to the health benefits, others believe we should reduce the amount of fish we consume because of the environmental impact of fishing.

The oceans help regulate the climate and produce the oxygen we breathe, but with marine populations declining and habitats being destroyed by careless fishing, their health and ecosystems are at risk.

Is there a happy middle ground? We asked the experts what they thought we should be doing to help our oceans thrive.

Look for labels

Sophia Balod, global press manager at the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)
"Seafood lovers around the world can definitely enjoy eating seafood in a responsible way by looking out for seafood certified against a credible third-party scheme, such as the ASC label. ASC's core mission is to transform seafood farming towards environmental sustainability and social responsibility."
George Clark, program director at Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), UK and Ireland
"All fishing can have negative impacts on marine biodiversity if poorly managed. The crucial thing is to make sure that whatever the gear (nets, for instance) or the size of boat that's used, it's managed in a way that respects fish stocks and all the surrounding marine species and habitats. That's why it's important to make sure you buy fish certified by an organisation (like the MSC) that examines these issues in detail.

"In the UK, we have some incredible fisheries and communities that have achieved certification from the MSC, like Cornish hake, Shetland brown crab and Poole Harbour clams."

Abigail Kidd, Sea Shepherd UK
"Our appetite for fish is killing the ocean. Even in legal fishing, many non-target animals are killed and the destruction by abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is catastrophic for the type of animals that many people care deeply for, like dolphins, seals, whales, turtles and sharks.

"We must stop seeing marine species solely as food and recognise their value as the earth's life support system. There are clear indicators that our 'seafood' consumption is having terrible consequences around the world and as we experience greater climate related catastrophes, it's vital we make the connection between a breakdown of marine ecosystems and our behaviour.

"We urgently need to give the ocean respite. It needs to begin to recover and consumers have a big role to play in regenerating a healthy planet. The easiest action for consumers to take is to stop eating fish, or dramatically reduce their intake and be particular about where they buy it."

Future-proof

Professor Grant D Stentiford, chief scientist at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), UK
"Right now, around half of all aquatic food consumed comes from farming - or aquaculture. By 2050, it's estimated that the majority will come from farmed rather than captured sources - representing a huge inter-generational shift in where and how we source our aquatic food. This sector is just as diverse as land-based agriculture, and we will need to make it as safe and sustainable as possible.

"Looking forward, industry, government, academia and society [ need to] work together which will lead to better food systems and environmental policies. This collaborative approach will require transparency in what we are collectively looking to achieve. In the meantime, consumers should buy fish that's certified as sustainable."

Dr Sarah Coulthard, senior lecturer in marine social science at Newcastle University
"The sustainability of seafood is complex as different ways of fishing have different impacts on the environment. Small-scale fishing in the inshore zone (within six nautical miles), especially using low impact gears such as potting for crab, lobster or prawn, can be a very sustainable means of producing seafood. It is highly likely that a locally landed Northumbrian lobster has less impact on the environment than an imported avocado.

"So, it is possible to eat seafood in a sustainable way, but our ability to continue to access sustainable seafood is dependent upon the continuation of small-scale fishing boats landing fresh daily catches in our harbours.

"Those wanting to support sustainable and productive seas should visit their local harbours, buy local produce, ask how it's been caught and find out what efforts have been made regarding its sustainability."

Diversify your dinners

Chris Thorne, oceans campaigner for Greenpeace UK
"More than three billion people across the world depend on the oceans for their primary source of protein; it is vital that we manage fisheries more sustainably so they can continue feeding us. We need thriving oceans full of life and the best way to achieve this is by supporting small scale, low impact fishing over industrial boats and by putting 30% of the ocean off limits to destructive fishing entirely.

"If you want to continue eating fish without contributing to the destruction, buy it a bit less often and try experimenting with a wider variety of locally caught seafood. Doing a little research and varying your menu is key. For instance, British rope farmed mussels are often more sustainable but are consumed less than the industrially caught species we're all used to - haddock, cod, prawns, tuna and salmon."

Jack Clarke, sustainable seafood advocate at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS UK)
"We've created a traffic light system which highlights the seafood which is sustainable and what to avoid. The most sustainable and ocean friendly options available feature wild fish which comes with rules around how many we can catch. It includes hake and sardines which are very well managed and populations are healthy and thriving.

"The best farmed fish options are mussels which, unlike other farm species, don't need any food, water, vaccines, or chemical additives. You just chuck them in the sea and they'll clean it! In terms of the gram-for-gram nutrition versus environmental footprint, they are some of the most sustainable forms of protein we can get.

"Red light seafood will be ones where the population of the species has nosedived. If you look at European eel, it's more endangered than pandas but it's still finding its way on to menus. Likewise, wild Atlantic halibut is a critically endangered animal so you're better off going for a green rated source of farmed halibut instead."

Take action

Lief Hendrikz, sustainable seafood officer at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
"Ensuring our oceans are properly protected should not be left to chance. We need action right across our supply chains and from governments to reduce environmental and social risks and ensure that the seafood we sell isn't undermining ocean health, either on our shores or overseas.

"Consumer choices can also be a powerful lever to drive changes. The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, and the 'big five' (cod, haddock, prawns, tuna and salmon) that make up the majority of seafood consumed in the UK face enormous pressures. One step that people can take is to opt for lower impact species like mussels, and species lower in the food chain, like sardines and herring, from well managed sources."
Originally published June 2023

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Is it possible to eat seafood in a sustainable way?

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World Ocean Day falls on 8 June this year, and it's got us thinking about the environmental impacts of fishing for and consuming seafood. Here's what the experts say about whether it's possible to eat fish sustainably. On average, we eat just over one portion of fish a week per person in the UK.

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New food-testing method a ‘game-changer’ for food supply chain

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New food-testing method a ‘game-changer’ for food supply chain

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New food-testing method a ‘game-changer’ for food supply chain

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A food-testing method to ensure food authenticity has achieved 100% accuracy in a research project led by the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at

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'This is an Emergency' - Ultra Processed Foods

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'This is an Emergency' - Ultra Processed Foods

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‘This is an emergency’: Dr Chris Van Tulleken on why ultra processed food fuels obesity, tooth decay and illness

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Most of what we eat isn’t really food, according to the doctor, academic and TV presenter Chris Van Tulleken.

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The rate at which food prices are rising fell for the second month in a row in May but remains "incredibly high", says research firm Kantar.

Prices were up by 17.2% from a year ago in the four weeks to the middle of May, down from 17.3% last month, it said.

Food price rises are expected to ease further later this year, but Kantar said an average annual grocery bill is now up to £833 higher than a year ago.

Despite the pressures shoppers still stocked up for the Coronation in May.

Sales of wine, fresh cream and pastry all soared as people "got into the spirit" of the occasion and had a go at making the official Coronation quiche, Kantar said.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt met food manufacturers on Tuesday to discuss the cost of food and look for ways to ease the pressure on households. They agreed to keep in contact.

Karen Betts, chief executive of industry group the Food and Drink Federation, said manufacturers had been absorbing costs, but price rises had been "unavoidable" due to rising prices for ingredients, energy and labour.

Inflation is the rate at which prices are rising. A drop in inflation does not mean prices are falling, but just that the rate of increases is slowing.

Food price inflation is still at a near-record high. Nevertheless, May's slight fall was "without doubt welcome news for shoppers", according to Fraser McKevitt, Kantar's head of retail and consumer insight.

He added that households were finding "different ways" to shop and save money, including by opting for supermarkets' own-brand equivalents. Supermarkets are also battling to offer value to shoppers to lure them through their doors.

"In the fierce contest for market share, eyes have been on the dairy aisle in particular, where the average cost of four pints of milk has come down by eight pence since last month," Mr McKevitt said.

"Prices are still much higher than they were 12 months ago, at £1.60 currently versus £1.30 last year, but retailers know just how important it is to offer even small savings on staple products like milk to get customers through the door."

In April, Aldi, Lidl and Asda joined rival supermarkets Sainsbury's and Tesco in cutting the price of milk.

Despite the price pressures, people made the most of the extra bank holiday this month, Kantar's research suggests, with an extra £218m passing through tills during the week of the Coronation.

Sparkling and still wine proved popular, with sales rising by 129% and 33% respectively.

People also stocked up on ingredients to make the official Coronation quiche with sales of chilled pastry soaring by 89%, while fresh cream sales were up by 80% and frozen broad beans by 57%.

"We'll have to wait and see whether it becomes as much loved as its 1953 counterpart Coronation chicken and cements its place on the British picnic and garden party menu," Mr McKevitt said.

Rising food prices are helping to fuel stubbornly high inflation, which hit 10.1% in the year to March. The latest official figures on Wednesday are expected to show inflation fell during April.

Food prices have surged in the last year after soaring energy prices drove up the cost of production and supply chains were disrupted.

Wholesale prices have been falling, but there is a time lag before that feeds through to prices on supermarket shelves.

Patrick Coveney, chief executive of catering group SSP, which owns Upper Crust and Millie's Cookies, told the BBC's Today programme he hoped inflation would ease this year.

"My hope would be that as the very, very high levels of inflation that we've had begin to ease, you'll begin to see that being reflected in reduced levels of price increases and perhaps even price deflation later in the year."

However, after the International Monetary Fund gave its latest forecast for the UK economy, the organisation's managing director Kristalina Georgieva told the BBC: "What is most concerning is food prices."

Last week, the prime minister held a food summit at Downing Street, and on Tuesday, the chancellor will meet food manufacturers to discuss the persistently high prices.

Look at your cupboards so you know what you have already

Head to the reduced section first to see if it has anything you need

Buy things close to their sell-by-date which will be cheaper and use your freezer

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Food price inflation dips for second month in a row

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The rate at which food prices are rising fell for the second month in a row in May but remains "incredibly high", says research firm Kantar. Prices were up by 17.2% from a year ago in the four weeks to the middle of May, down from 17.3% last month, it said.

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The deal that allows Ukraine to export grain across the Black Sea has been extended for two months.

Thanks to the agreement, more than 30 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been shipped out of the Black Sea through a safe corridor.

Russia had been threatening to pull out of the deal, saying Western sanctions were hampering its own agricultural exports.

Why was the grain deal needed?

Ukraine is a major exporter of sunflower, maize, wheat and barley.

When Russia invaded in February 2022, its naval vessels blockaded Ukraine's ports, trapping some 20 million tonnes of grain.

The UN says prices of staple foods rose across these regions by an average of 30%. It warned that 44 million people in 38 countries were facing "emergency levels of hunger".

"UN officials were worried about the Horn of Africa, where drought was already pushing countries towards famine conditions, and a lack of grain was making things worse," says Richard Gowan from The International Crisis Group, which works to prevent conflict.

How can the deal be extended?

The arrangement between Ukraine and Russia is meant to be extended for 120 days at a time.

But in March, Russia agreed to extend it by 60 days only, and it did the same in May.

It wants its own producers to be able to export more food and fertiliser to the rest of the world, but says Western sanctions are hampering them.

How does the grain corridor work?

On 22 July 2022, Russia and Ukraine signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative, with the support of the UN and Turkey.

It let cargo ships pass safely through the Black Sea to and from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.

The first grain shipments started in early August, using a corridor 310 nautical miles long and three nautical miles wide.

These extra supplies were a major factor in lowering world food prices.

Prices started falling in spring 2022, ahead of an expected deal, and are now lower than they were before Russia's invasion.

How much grain is being exported?

This is partly because farmers are producing less, due to the fighting across large parts of the country.

However, Ukraine's government says Russia has been delaying cargo ships heading to ports to pick up produce.

Under the deal, Russia has the right to inspect ships to make sure they aren't bringing cargo into Ukraine, such as weapons.

"Ukraine has accused it of being overly picky with the inspections," says Bridget Diakun, from the shipping journal Lloyds List.

"There is usually a queue of about 100 ships in the entrance to the Black Sea."

Where are Ukraine's exports going?

47% has gone to "high-income countries" including Spain, Italy and the Netherlands

26% has gone to "upper-middle income countries" such as Turkey and China

27% has gone to "low and lower-middle income countries" like Egypt, Kenya and Sudan

Russian president Vladimir Putin has criticised Ukraine for not exporting more of its foodstuffs to developing countries.

However, the UN says the exports have benefited needy people around the world because they calmed international food markets, bringing food prices under control.

In 2022, more than half of the wheat grain procured by the United Nations World Food Programme came from Ukraine.

Correction 17 March 2023: A reference to the volume of the WFP's wheat grain procurement was amended.

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The deal that allows Ukraine to export grain across the Black Sea has been extended for two months. Thanks to the agreement, more than 30 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been shipped out of the Black Sea through a safe corridor.

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(Image: Getty Images)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against using artificial sweeteners to help with weight loss in new guidance.

Using non-sugar sweeteners instead of the real stuff "does not help" with weight loss, the public health agency states, adding that consumption could increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

New guidance on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), following a systemic review of existing evidence, suggests using them in place of real sugar has no real benefit in reducing body fat. Non-sugar sweeteners are man made, have no nutritional value and are present in most diet foods to produce the sweet flavour with less calories.

While a popular alternative to real sugar among slimmers, health officials now recommend avoiding them altogether, instead advising to reduce sugar intake or seek it in naturally sweet foods like fruit.

"Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages," says Francesco Branca, WHO Director for Nutrition and Food Safety.

"NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health."

Common NSS examples to look out for on food packets include acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives. Certain types of NSS are present in some products like toothpaste and medication, which the recommendation does not apply to.

Results also showed that NSS consumption may boost risks of health issues like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and adult mortality. However, WHO states that its recommendation for this area is conditional and requires further discussion.

In recent years, many common weight loss tips and tricks have been dispelled by experts. In fact, diet guru Michael Mosley previously advised to opt for full-fat dairy options instead of low-fat versions, which are full of these sweeteners and have little health benefits.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our newsletter here.
READ NEXT:

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WHO issues weight loss warning to anyone using sweeteners instead of real sugar

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against using artificial sweeteners to help with weight loss in new guidance. Using non-sugar sweeteners instead of the real stuff "does not help" with weight loss, the public health agency states, adding that consumption could increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

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The One Show - 7/3/23

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Links to lots of videos on places, farms, restaurants, cafes in Kent.
Food Provenance, seasonality and lots more.

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This week we've been to Bake to the Future near Ashford, a bespoke cake company known for their classic bakes with a sci-fi twist

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Another year in the life of Diddly Squat Farm, run by Jeremy Clarkson, Britain's best-known but least-qualified amateur farmer. In an effort to increase his annual profit (£144 last year) he's diversifying, in the shape of cows, more chickens and his own restaurant.

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Our work to improve farm animal welfare
We're working hard to try to improve the welfare of as many farm animals as possible, at every stage of their lives.

Over one billion farm animals are reared every year in the UK, as well as many millions of fish. The law alone is not always strong or detailed enough to ensure that they all have a good quality of life, and are transported and slaughtered humanely.

Responsibility for farm animal welfare does not just lie with the farmers and stock-keepers that look after them. Governments, food retailers and you, the consumer, all have a lot of power to help raise welfare standards, and ensure all farm animals can lead lives worth living. To help with this, we want to see labelling with method of production on all animal products, so that people can make more informed choices when shopping.

It's a huge challenge to try to improve the welfare of such a large number of animals. We work in a number of different ways to encourage improvements, and we always use all available scientific information and practical evidence to help inform development of our policies and activities.

Notifiable diseases (including avian influenza/bird flu)

In the event of an outbreak of a notifiable disease in the UK, keepers in England should refer to the Defra website, and keepers in Wales should refer to the Welsh Government website for the most up-to-date information and advice.

Worried about a farm animal?

Find out what to do if you're concerned about the welfare of a farm animal that you've seen.

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We're working hard to try to improve the welfare of as many farm animals as possible, at every stage of their lives. Over one billion farm animals are reared every year in the UK, as well as many millions of fish.

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Can AI help reduce food waste?
Is it possible to grow meat in a lab?

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Click explores the latest technologies aimed at tackling the issue of food waste.

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Why are so many people on strike?

An in-depth look at why the UK is seeing so many workers take strike action. ...

An in-depth look at why the UK is seeing so many workers take strike action.

16 mins Available for 11 months

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Make Sense of Your World - Why Is Food Getting More Expensive?

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Why are so many people on strike? An in-depth look at why the UK is seeing so many workers take strike action. ... An in-depth look at why the UK is seeing so many workers take strike action. 16 mins Available for 11 months

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Shop Well for the Planet? - Series 1: Episode 3 - Audio Described

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Can a family be convinced that going greener doesn't have to cost more or be a hassle?

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Lots of food provenance, seasonality and reducing waste in this TV series.

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Marcus Wareing's Tales from a Kitchen Garden

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Marcus Wareing expands his smallholding with help from the country's best producers.

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Food critic Jay Rayner has frequently written about the pleasures of meat-eating. But he had never witnessed the death of the animal destined for his plate. Until now

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Amazon Prime Show - Eating Our Way to Extinction

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Amazon Prime Show - Eating Our Way to Extinction

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Starring globally renowned figures and the world's leading scientists, EATING OUR WAY TO EXTINCTION will take you on a journey - A powerful cinematic feature documentary that opens the lid on the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about. Alarming and entertaining this compelling feature documentary will make you never look at your food or the food industry in the same way again.

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As worker shortages are felt across the hospitality sector, the owners of the Bella Italia chain are turning to robots to provide table service to customers.

Big Table Group, which also owns Café Rouge and Las Iguanas, is testing out the robot at its Bella Italia restaurant in Center Parcs Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, in the first such trial by a big restaurant chain.

The BellaBot, made by Chinese company Pudu, can carry up to 40kg on four trays and deliver and retrieve plates from tables with help from humans who load and unload its “body”.

Bella Italia has more than 90 restaurants across the UK. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

Eric Guo, the chief executive of Spark which distributes Pudu robots in the UK, said there were 60 working across 20 British businesses and he expected more orders in the year ahead. Most are operating in restaurants, but hotels, supermarkets, care homes, snooker clubs and bowling alleys are also experimenting with the technology.

“It has become an apparent trend that hospitality owners enquire [about] bot services to help resolve the hospitality staff shortage,” he said. Guo added that the robots also helped businesses gain publicity on social media when customers took videos and posted them on sites such as TikTok.

People interact with the BellaBot delivery robot at the Pudu booth at the CES tech show in Las Vegas. Photograph: Joe Buglewicz/AP

Big Table Group, which runs 150 restaurants under its various brands, said the test was operating in one outlet and it had not confirmed plans to expand the pilot.

The experiment comes as 10% of hospitality jobs remain unfilled, according to the UKHospitality trade body, as Brexit combined with the pandemic to prompt many European workers, who have played an important role in the UK industry, to leave the UK.

Competition from other sectors – where hours may fit more easily with family life and pay may be more attractive – is also a factor.

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The shortages have led to wage inflation of 13% across the industry, as businesses try to attract the best staff in areas where there are particular shortages, such as chefs.

Lisa Gibbons, the chief operating officer of Bella Italia, said: “We’re always open to innovative solutions which benefit our teams, improve service and improve our guests’ experience.

“By having intelligent robots conduct simple tasks, such as retrieving dirty dishes, our teams are able to focus on doing what they love and delivering an amazing experience. It’s still early days in the trial, but we’re looking forward to seeing the impact that having an extra pair of ‘paws’ has on dining satisfaction.”

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Not-so dumb waiter: UK restaurant chain Bella Italia trials robot service

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Hospitality businesses look to hi-tech gadgets amid staff shortages after Covid pandemic and Brexit

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Restaurant Robots and Food 'Bullet Trains'

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzSKbqj9Z042HuJTQI9V8ug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8vLjPctrcU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cD-jqABVYc

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baking baker handmade yeast sourdough flour leavened artisan homebaker bakedgoods "master baker" "amateur baker" "beginner baker" "baking class" "home baker"...

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Your one-stop shop for all things breadmaking. Delicious recipes explained in detail backed up by in-depth videos on techniques and principles. New videos every Wednesday & Sunday. Happy Baking! Charlie

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https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/lidl-follows-footsteps-aldi-ms-25396649

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(Image: Manchester Family / MEN)

Supermarket chain Lidl has announced it will be making a big change to its bottles of milk. The retailer is following in the footsteps of Aldi, M&S and Sainsbury's, who have already made the transition.

Lidl has said it will be banning green caps from all of its semi-skimmed milk bottles. Instead, these caps will be replaced with see-through ones.

The company said the move, carried out in partnership with its milk supplier Müller after a trial in September, will allow 60 tonnes of recycled high-density polythene to be turned into food-grade packaging in the form of milk bottles.
READ MORE: Marks and Spencer shoppers 'need' £6 gadget that lights up a room with zero electricity
Lidl will be replacing the green-coloured caps on bottles of semi-skimmed and organic fresh milk by November 21, according to The Grocer. Scott Davey, Lidl's senior buying director, said: "We remain committed to supporting our customers in helping them make more sustainable shopping decisions on a daily basis.

"Customer feedback during the trial was overwhelmingly positive and we are thrilled to be making this change permanent across Lidl stores. In addition, this move will help us achieve our goal of making more of the plastic we use circular and fit to be repurposed time and time again."
READ NEXT:
Richard Gorman, plastics and packaging director at Aldi, which announced it was scrapping green caps in an attempt to reduce plastic waste, said: "We know it's becoming increasingly important to our customers that their everyday products are environmentally-friendly, and we are constantly reviewing ways to become a more sustainable supermarket. By trialling clear milk caps we are making our milk bottles easier to recycle, so they can be turned back into new packaging."

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Lidl follows in the footsteps of Aldi and Sainsbury's with milk bottle ban

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Every single Lidl supermarket across the country will see the new policy in place

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TV Shows - Check out these Food related TV shows

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TV Shows - Check out these Food related TV shows

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- Inside the Factory (BBC)
- Great British Bake Off (Channel 4)
- Chef's Brigade (BBC)
- Eat Well For Less (BBC)
- Snack Wars (Channel 4)
- Food Unwrapped (Channel 4)
- Masterchef/The Professionals (BBC)

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Bristol Venue adds Carbon Footprint to its Menu

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Bristol Venue adds Carbon Footprint to its Menu

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-62723225

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Kierra Box, trade and environmental regulation campaigner at environmental charity Friends of the Earth, said switching diets to more carbon-neutral foods could have a huge impact on climate change.

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Bristol venue adds carbon footprint to its menu

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A Bristol venue hopes menu information will raise awareness of how food is linked to climate change.

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This podcast has some interesting facts about the origin of lactase persistence and why we aren't all lactose intolerant.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09y1ym0

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Greg Jenner and his guests explore the amazing prehistoric site of Çatalhöyük as we learn about the Neolithic Revolution of the Middle East.

Greg Jenner and his guests explore the amazing prehistoric site of Çatalhöyük as we learn about the Neolithic Revolution of the Middle East. What is so special about Çatalhöyük and why did prehistoric hunter-gatherers decide to settle down with pottery, pals and porridge?

In archaeology corner this week is Dr Lindsay Der from the University of Victoria in Canada and in comedy corner is the fantastically funny Mike Wozniak.

Script: Chris Wakefield, Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Research: Chris Wakefield
Project manager : Siefe Miyo
Edit producer : Cornelius Mendez

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BBC Radio 4 - You're Dead to Me, Çatalhöyük and the Neolithic Revolution

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Greg Jenner and his guests explore the Neolithic Revolution of the Middle East.

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Check out this pod cast on the history of ice cream.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b3kpn9

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Greg Jenner and his guests Dr Annie Gray and Richard Osman get the inside scoop on the history of this delicious dessert, The History of Ice Cream.

Greg Jenner and his guests Dr Annie Gray and Richard Osman get the inside scoop on the history of this delicious dessert while packing in as many of their 'flavourite' ice cream puns as possible (final count: 15!). They savour the dubiously 'legendairy' origins of frozen cream dishes, explore some weird early flavours (whale vomit!), and discover how ice cream went from glamorous luxury to dangerous health risk. Plus Dr Annie teaches us how to make our own ice cream in the Nuance Window!"

Research: Chris Wakefield
Script: Emma Nagouse, Chris Wakefield and Greg Jenner
Project Management: Siefe Miyo
Edit Producer: Cornelius Mendez

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BBC Radio 4 - You're Dead to Me, The History of Ice Cream

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Greg Jenner and his guests get the inside scoop on The History of Ice Cream.

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https://www.lidl.co.uk/about-us/lidl-changes-for-the-better/biogas-lorries

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At Lidl, we're proud to be part of so many projects and initiatives that make positive changes to the world around us. From investing in the future of British farming to being the first UK supermarket to launch new packaging using 'Prevented Ocean Plastic', these Lidl changes, big or small, are always made for the better.

That's why we launched Lidl Changes for the Better, because we believe good and value should go together.

Take a Look at Our TV Advert

Find Out More About These Initiatives

Planet, Producers And People

Whether it's promoting efficient use of resources, sourcing in a fair, sustainable way or making nutritious food available for families, we're committed to making sure we make a positive difference. We believe in doing good for our planet, the producers we work with and the people in our communities.

1. Caring for the PEOPLE in our communities

We're working to raise £5 million over 5 years for NSPCC, donated over 8 million meals to those in need, reduced sugar in several own-brand products and more.

2. Supporting our PRODUCERS

All our core fresh poultry, beef, pork, milk and eggs are British and we're investing £15 billion in British food and farming over the next 5 years, as well as supporting young dairy farmers through the Grassroots partnership.

3. Protecting our PLANET

We've removed 1 billion pieces of plastic from our stores, are working to cut own-brand plastic packaging by 40% and have reduced food waste in our stores by over 30% - working to achieve 50% by 2030.

Oxfam Scorecard Results 2022

We're over the moon to be recognised by Oxfam as one of the leading global food retailers for our work on human rights in the supply chain. But we know our work doesn't stop here. We're committed to taking further actions in this important area. Find out more here.

Check out where Oxfam has ranked us for our policies and practices on human rights in the supply chain below.

Oxfam's Scorecard 2022

UK Scorecard 2022

We didn't do any of this alone though. You Lidlers are a pivotal part of all the Lidl (and big!) changes we've made.

Thanks a bunch - and here's to many more!

Find out about our projects and initiatives - helping people, producers and the planet.

Click here to learn more