Fairtrade calls on next UK Government to ensure trade policy works for people and planet

The Fairtrade Foundation has urged the next UK government to ensure trade policy works for people and planet as it unveiled its manifesto ahead of the General Election.

The Fairtrade Foundation has launched the manifesto, calling on the next UK government to build fairness and resilience for producers and consumers.

Alexander Carnwath, Head of Public Affairs at the Fairtrade Foundation, commented: “It’s just over a week before the UK public head to the polls, and it’s crucial that following the election, the next government builds a fairer and more resilient trade system that works better for both UK consumers and those who produce much of our food in low-income countries.

“The UK imports almost half its food, with 16 per cent coming from countries exposed to climate change and lacking the capacity to adapt and respond. In recent years, we’ve seen how global events can have a massive impact on UK food supplies, with the cost of some of our favourite food products soaring and increasingly difficult conditions for farmers overseas. We urgently need to invest for the future, building fair and strong trading partnerships, with businesses working for people and planet, that will ensure the ongoing availability of our food in the face of a changing climate.

“The next UK government – whichever party or parties make it up – should commit to publishing a trade strategy that addresses the key links between trade, development and environmental sustainability and supports the UK to meet objectives across all three. It should also address UK competition law to provide support for innovations in the area of pre-competitive collaboration between businesses, through initiatives such as Fairtrade’s Shared Impact, to support environmental and development objectives.”

The Fairtrade Foundation election manifesto has three key asks:

• Develop trade policy that works for people and planet. These policies must improve resilience for the small holder farmers and workers producing food overseas and support innovative business approaches to enhance environmental and social sustainability.
• Legislate to ensure responsible business. The legislation must ensure that businesses address human rights and environmental violations in supply chains, including deforestation, while taking full account of the needs of farmers and workers.
• Strengthen UK aid by responding to the needs and priorities of farmers and workers who make a crucial contribution to the global food system.

Booja-Booja launch new single portion mini pots

Booja-Booja, the multi award-winning ice cream and chocolate truffle maker, is launching four of its most popular ice cream flavours in single portion ‘mini pots’.

Following the success of its free-from ice cream range which launched last summer, Booja-Booja is now making 110ml pots of the flavours Deeply Chocolate, Vanilla, Caramel Pecan Praline and Mango & Raspberry.

Perfect for impulse buys and food service, each one is made from an organic cashew nut base and just a handful of simple ingredients. They contain no artificial flavourings, preservatives or colours and they are all organic, vegan, and free from any dairy, gluten and soya.

Booja-Booja has been a pioneer of dairy-free deliciousness for over 20 years. The brand’s ice cream range is premium, created to be creamy, indulgent and sophisticated, while also ticking many of the most requested free-from boxes. The new mini pots feature the same bold, colourful design as used on the larger ‘take home’ tubs .

The new Booja-Booja ice cream mini tubs have an RRP of £1.99 and are available now.

Alara Wholefoods launches two gut health cereals

To tap into the rapidly growing gut health market, sustainable food pioneer Alara Wholefoods is launching two new organic cereal products – Alara Organic Wheat Bran and Alara Organic Oat Bran.

Both cereals are high-quality, single ingredient products that each offer a complex nutritional profile suited to anyone looking to support their gut microbiome.

A growing body of research¹ shows wheat bran promotes gut microbiota diversity, and is an effective prebiotic. Similarly, multiple studies^2,3 confirm the prebiotic function of oat bran, plus its ability to reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response – both markers for chronic disease. Wheat bran also delivers a wide range of micronutrients, including 100 per cent recommended dietary allowances (RDAs)  of some essential vitamins and minerals (per 100g).

Commenting on the launch, Alara Founder and Managing Director, Alex Smith, said: “We definitely see a gap in the market for these two products. They play directly into the heightened level of interest and awareness of gut health. So we think they’ll be a high consumer demand for both products. As well as their nutritional benefits they are organic and are packaged in Alara no-plastic packs. They also come with a very attractive RSP of just £2.69 (650g) for the Wheat Bran and £3.24 (650g) for the Oat Bran.”

Alara is offering independent retailers a chance to grab a free case (six packs) of each of the new products. Smith added: “We wanted to give retailers the chance to try these exciting new products, and assess demand on a risk-free basis”.

Retailers can claim their free products when they are next visited by their Thyme Marketing contact.

1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590157522000505

2 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.787797/full

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121460/