Suma launches podcast to bring retailers closer to brands

A new podcast has been announced by Suma designed to connect independent retailers to the people behind the products.

Suma Wholefoods has developed the new podcast, Altogether Better, designed to bring retailers closer to the people, values and innovation behind the products on their shelves. Each short episode offers direct access to the brands and experts shaping the world of wholefoods, ethical sourcing and sustainability. The podcast provides a fresh, convenient way to stay informed, inspired and connected, whether listening on the shop floor, on the move, or while planning product ranges.

In the first two episodes, Suma dives straight into what matters most to retailers and their customers:

• A conversation with sustainable cleaning brand, Seep, exploring how eco-conscious design and materials are redefining everyday household products.
• Insights from the product developer behind Ecoleaf by Suma, revealing the thinking, innovation and sustainability credentials behind one of Suma’s most trusted ranges.

The podcast is designed to offer listeners the inside story behind the products you stock, to discover new selling points and customer talking points, stay ahead of trends in sustainability and wholefoods, and hear directly from the brands your customers care about. Each episode is designed to be short, engaging and practical, making it easier than ever for retailers to deepen product knowledge and bring those stories to life in-store.

• You can listen at Spotify, YouTube, or via suma.coop/links<http://www.suma.coop/links

Weleda announces collaboration as part of Skin Food centenary

Weleda is celebrating 100 years of its Skin Food brand with the launch of a new larger pack size, along with a new partnership with acclaimed fashion designer, Stella McCartney.

Introduced in 1926, today, a tube of Skin Food Original sells every six seconds worldwide, with 30 million units sold in the last decade alone. To mark the 100-year anniversary, a new larger 100ml tube of Skin Food will launch this spring, retailing at a celebratory £19.26, and a centenary campaign joining legendary icons will be launched, with Skin Food partnering with the most visionary global voice in sustainable fashion – Stella McCartney – as well as international make-up artist and star of the BBC’s Glow Up, Val Garland.

Jayn Sterland, Country Manager at Weleda UK, commented: “We’re thrilled to see our cult-favourite Skin Food take centre stage at Stella McCartney’s Paris Fashion Week show, lighting up the runway with that unmistakable Skin Food Glow. As we celebrate 100 years of Skin Food, this beauty icon proves it’s more relevant than ever, a backstage beauty essential and make-up artist must-have that continues to fly off shelves worldwide with one sold every 2.5 seconds. Partnering with a true trailblazer like Stella McCartney is a dream come true, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate our hero product together.”

Stella added: “Weleda is such a great brand that has always stayed committed to natural, ethical and sustainable values without chasing trends – I really respect that, and I love Skin Food. My brand has never wavered from our core principles – we’ve been free from leather, feathers, fur and exotic skins since day one. So, to align with another company that proves integrity can last is truly meaningful.”

The Skin Food 100 Years campaign – spanning February to October – will amplify Skin Food’s credibility as the beauty essential VIPs cannot do without, celebrating Skin Food’s superfans and highlighting the many uses of this multi-tasking hero. Additionally, Skin Food will support the make-up teams and models for top fashion designers at London Fashion Week this February. Weleda also hosted the Weleda Model Lounge at London Fashion Week and a two-day pop-up for make-up artists.

Organic grows by 4.2 per cent to almost hit £4bn

The UK’s organic food and drink market has grown by 4.2 per cent, outpacing organic and marking a doubling in a decade.

That is according to the Soil Association’s annual Organic Market Report, which revealed the sector is now worth some £3.9bn, and has entered its 14^th consecutive year of growth.

The 2026 Organic Market Report, which tracks the value growth of the market over the previous year (Jan-Dec 2025), shows that overall sales of organic have increased by 4.2 per cent, with value sales in major retail growing by seven per cent, driven by uplifts in dairy, ambient grocery, fresh produce and meat, fish and poultry. The unit growth of organic in supermarkets is four times that of non-organic, at 1.2 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively. The report also revealed that sales in independent retail are down 1.1 per cent, with retailers reporting lower volume sales and basket spend as consumers face rising costs in products like chocolate and coffee. Meanwhile, food service was down 1.5 per cent and home delivery down one per cent.

The report said: “Organic sales continue to grow. However, the category represents a small part (1.6 per cent) of the overall market. Barriers to growth include a frustrating lack of support for organic farmers, rising business costs, export challenges and inflation continuing to put pressure on both producers and consumers.”

Dairy has been one of the biggest drivers of growth, particularly organic milk and eggs which both returned a volume sales uplift of over eight per cent. Health is dominating consumer choices, with a desire for more protein, fibre and nutrient density driving purchases towards more whole foods. With a rising number of households in the UK having at least one GLP-1 drug user, the trend to smaller but more nutrient-rich meal portions will only become more prevalent. On a global level, the UK organic market is also looking healthy, sitting at the eighth largest market globally for retail sales of organic.

“The continued growth of the organic market reflects the strong consumer demand for healthier, more nature friendly food,” commented Alex Cullen, Commercial Director at Soil Association Certification. “Concerning headlines around both pesticides and PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’ in food, and their link to health issues, have no doubt also captured consumer attention and driven shoppers to look for the organic logo, a trusted signpost to fewer artificial pesticides, additives and higher welfare. Eighty-three per cent of households are buying organic and the frequency of organic purchases has increased in supermarkets, with shoppers on average buying organic once every three to four weeks – that’s 17 trips to buy organic a year. Businesses are wise to take notice and continue to make organic food and drink available and accessible in their stores so that consumer footfall continues to be captured.”

However, there remains an issue over production; the report found that while consumer demand remains strong, this is still largely being met by imports because the UK’s overall organic production remains stagnant. The latest DEFRA figures (covering 2024) have the overall percentage of UK farmland stuck at three per cent, and while there was an increase in land in-conversion in England last year, this dramatically slowed when Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) payments were frozen. Contrast this with Scotland, where the Scottish Organic Action Plan launched in January, has seen Holyrood commit to a three-year, £200,000-invested strategy aimed at expanding organic land, increasing production, and boosting demand for Scottish organic products, with strategic routes to market support such as public procurement.