Author: Sam Allcock

UK food prices are still rising in 2026, but the picture is far more uneven than the headline inflation rate suggests. The latest Office for National Statistics data shows food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation at 1.3% in August 2026, unchanged from July. Food prices nevertheless increased by 0.4% during August alone. Supermarket-level data tells a different part of the story. Which?’s latest tracker recorded 2.4% annual supermarket food inflation across the three months to the end of August, while individual categories such as fish were rising much faster. At the same time, the Food & Drink Federation expects food and…

The Food Standards Agency is moving towards greater use of artificial intelligence in UK food safety, with a target to pilot AI-enabled tools in priority official controls, audits and food-incident management by September 2026. The planned approach could help the regulator identify emerging risks earlier, analyse intelligence more efficiently and respond to food incidents more quickly. The FSA has also set a target of introducing AI-assisted workflows for incident, inspection and intelligence data by December 2026. For food businesses, the development could mean more data-driven regulatory oversight. For consumers, the intended outcome is faster identification and management of food safety…

Food and drink plants use chemicals for a good reason. Detergents, disinfectants, descalers and other products help keep equipment and production areas hygienic. A chemical chosen to control one type of risk can introduce another if it is stored, diluted or applied badly. Safe chemical handling in food manufacturing therefore has two jobs. Safe chemical handling needs to support hygiene without exposing workers to unnecessary harm. Know What Is Actually Being Used A chemical inventory sounds basic, but it is difficult to control substances properly if the site does not have a clear picture of what is present, where it…

Protein has become one of the biggest food trends in UK supermarkets, with shoppers increasingly looking beyond traditional sports-nutrition products and towards everyday foods such as eggs, chicken, fish, yoghurt, cottage cheese, beans and lentils. Supermarkets are responding. Sainsbury’s has launched a dedicated high-protein range, Aldi has expanded its protein-focused products, Lidl maintains a dedicated high-protein range, Tesco stocks high-protein products across multiple grocery categories and Waitrose has now introduced dedicated wellbeing bays covering protein and other health-focused products. But does a product labelled “high protein” automatically make it a healthy choice? Not necessarily. The best high-protein foods for a…

Plant-based food continues to evolve, but the latest launches suggest the category is moving beyond the traditional focus on meat substitutes. This week has brought a notable UK launch from Plenish, alongside new plant-based products announced in the United States and Switzerland. Protein, convenience, shorter ingredient lists and familiar food formats are prominent themes across the new products. For UK shoppers, the most important launch is Plenish Clean Protein Oat Drink, which has entered selected Tesco stores and is also being sold online. Here is what has launched, where the products are available and what the latest market data says…

For many UK families, the idea of eating a Mediterranean diet sounds healthier than it sounds practical. Olive oil, fresh fish, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and colourful salads all feature heavily in descriptions of the diet. But families also have school lunches to prepare, busy weekdays to manage, different tastes to accommodate and grocery bills to watch. The good news is that following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern does not require a complete change of cuisine or an expensive specialist food shop. The principles are surprisingly close to the UK’s own healthy-eating advice. The NHS Eatwell Guide recommends eating plenty of fruit…

The UK’s healthy food market is changing in 2026. Protein-rich products, high-fibre foods, beans and pulses, gut-health products and minimally processed ingredients are becoming increasingly visible across British supermarkets. At the same time, consumers remain highly concerned about food prices and ultra-processed foods. The shift is not simply about fashionable ingredients. Retail sales, consumer research, supermarket product development and Government policy all point towards a broader change in how healthy eating is understood in Britain. Recent data also suggests that beans, lentils, tofu and tempeh are gaining ground as shoppers look for foods that combine nutrition, value and versatility. Table…

A sudden and devastating mountain disaster has struck north-central Nepal. On Wednesday, 26 August 2026, a massive glacier collapse—registering a force equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake—sent millions of tonnes of ice, mud, and rock plunging into high-altitude river tributaries. The resulting surge swelled river corridors by up to 9 metres (29.5 feet) in under 30 minutes, wiping out entire villages, destroying vital transport networks, and causing severe destruction across the Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts. While emergency search-and-rescue teams race against rising monsoon waters, the disaster is sending shockwaves through global agricultural networks. The affected valleys represent major hubs for…

The UK dining out market is valued at £102.8 billion in 2026, driven by premium experiences and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) despite broader economic pressures. Diners face an average spend of £18.35 per visit. Under the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act, UK law strictly mandates that 100% of discretionary service charges and tips must go directly to staff with zero operator deductions. The Landscape of British Dining in 2026 Dining out in the United Kingdom has undergone a structural transformation. Driven by shifts in household budgets, statutory wage updates, and statutory tipping reforms, eating out is no longer merely transactional-it…

Britain’s hospitality sector is navigating intense operational churn in mid-2026. Official data from the NIQ/CGA Hospitality Market Monitor shows 1,839 venue closures in Q2 2026—equivalent to 20 closures per day—offset by 1,794 new openings. While net outlet numbers remain stable at 98,564 sites, independent restaurants and casual dining operators face severe pressure from National Living Wage increases, business rate revaluations, and input inflation. Table of Contents Britain’s dining and licensed hospitality sector is operating under conditions of rapid turnover. According to the latest CGA by NIQ Hospitality Market Monitor, the total number of licensed premises in Great Britain stood at…