Target Publishing Ltd


Plan of action for England's soil Government department Defra has announced a new strategy to protect England's soils. Speaking of the need to protect the land, the agency said: "Our soils are essentials for supporting food production, supporting habitats and biodiversity, and providing a platform for build development." There is also evidence to suggest that the soil contains amounts of carbon and that as it declines it is releasing more and more into the atmosphere. So the new consultation aims to support food and fibre production as well as construction and building production. Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Marine, Landscape & Rural Affairs, said: "Soil is a vital natural resource and the protection of our soils is essential for the future of our ecosystems, for farming and food production, and for reducing our carbon emissions. We are seeking views on how we will continue to protect this vital resource in years to come." Hilary Benn and the Energy Saving Trust tackle carbon emissions Environment Secretary Hilary Benn is today to announce new initiatives to combat people's carbon emissions. Talking in London this morning, Benn talked about three new consumer-focused plans to help reduce carbon footprints and utility bills. With the help of the Energy Saving Trust, the government will help people to reduce their household waste, increase their recycling and make their energy needs more efficient. Equal Exchange gets a makeover Fairtrade brand Equal Exchange has been given a makeover. Its new look packaging and corporate logo will be announced at this year's Natural Products Show in London, 13-14 April. The re-brand, which was carried out by Good Creative design agency, sees new packaging design and colours, and is aimed at making the brand identity stronger. The company, which has been around since 1981, wanted the redesign to focus on the honest an equal exchange between the company and its producer partners. Liberation Foods makes new appointment Fairtrade nut brand, Liberation Foods, has appointed a new Head of Marketing and Communications from beauty experts Procter and Gamble. Ilaria Ida, who was previously brand manager of Yardley, was involved in new product development and communications campaigns. Ida will now be working on the fairtrade nut brand. She says of Liveration Foods: "By purchasing Liberation nuts, consumers can make a real difference in the lives of our producers and help us change the world for the better, nut by nut." BioCare takes action against online discounters Online retailers who discount BioCare products without offering any of the necessary educational support are being targeted. The manufacturer - popular with both retailers and practitioners - said those that were simply selling the products at a discounted price on the web but not backing it up with advice were eroding the brand’s value. To that end, it has agreed with the major discounters that no one will offer the BioCare brand at reduced prices online. It has also asked retailers to let them know if they become aware of such practices. In a statement, BioCare explained: "We strongly believe the BioCare brand stands for excellent customer service, the best education, training and advice and the highest quality products based on innovation and scientific research. "These principles, upon which BioCare is based, add value for retailers and their customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace; erosion of this value by price discounting is not a sustainable strategy - for either our customers or our consumers." The company also believes such a stance will encourage customers into their local health food store, where they can obtain the correct advice. Attitudes over supplement need revealed Almost 50 per cent of consumers hardly ever take VMS products because they believe they obtain everything they need from the diet. That is the verdict of a study by market analysts Key Note, which also found that 80.8 per cent of consumers felt they did not require any functional foods as their normal diet provided them with all they required. However, although consumption of functional foods may be low, general interest in the area came in at 43.8 per cent. Analysts put this down to people understanding the nature and value of functional food and drinks but not seeing it as significant enough to change their diet. Worryingly, 54.4 per cent of those surveyed tended not to believe health claims made by manufacturers of functional food and drinks. Key Note pointed out that the sector increased by 8.3 per cent in 2007, compared to 22.1 per cent growth the year before. The VMS sector also only increased by 0.4 per cent in the year ending August 12 2007.

Plan of action for England's soil
Government department Defra has announced a new strategy to protect England's soils. Speaking of the need to protect the land, the agency said: "Our soils are essentials for supporting food production, supporting habitats and biodiversity, and providing a platform for build development."
There is also evidence to suggest that the soil contains amounts of carbon and that as it declines it is releasing more and more into the atmosphere. So the new consultation aims to support food and fibre production as well as construction and building production. Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Marine, Landscape & Rural Affairs, said: "Soil is a vital natural resource and the protection of our soils is essential for the future of our ecosystems, for farming and food production, and for reducing our carbon emissions. We are seeking views on how we will continue to protect this vital resource in years to come."

Hilary Benn and the Energy Saving Trust tackle carbon emissions
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn is today to announce new initiatives to combat people's carbon emissions. Talking in London this morning, Benn talked about three new consumer-focused plans to help reduce carbon footprints and utility bills. With the help of the Energy Saving Trust, the government will help people to reduce their household waste, increase their recycling and make their energy needs more efficient.

Equal Exchange gets a makeover
Fairtrade brand Equal Exchange has been given a makeover. Its new look packaging and corporate logo will be announced at this year's Natural Products Show in London, 13-14 April. The re-brand, which was carried out by Good Creative design agency, sees new packaging design and colours, and is aimed at making the brand identity stronger. The company, which has been around since 1981, wanted the redesign to focus on the honest an equal exchange between the company and its producer partners.

Liberation Foods makes new appointment
Fairtrade nut brand, Liberation Foods, has appointed a new Head of Marketing and Communications from beauty experts Procter and Gamble. Ilaria Ida, who was previously brand manager of Yardley, was involved in new product development and communications campaigns. Ida will now be working on the fairtrade nut brand. She says of Liveration Foods: "By purchasing Liberation nuts, consumers can make a real difference in the lives of our producers and help us change the world for the better, nut by nut."

BioCare takes action against online discounters
Online retailers who discount BioCare products without offering any of the necessary educational support are being targeted.
The manufacturer - popular with both retailers and practitioners - said those that were simply selling the products at a discounted price on the web but not backing it up with advice were eroding the brand’s value.
To that end, it has agreed with the major discounters that no one will offer the BioCare brand at reduced prices online. It has also asked retailers to let them know if they become aware of such practices.
In a statement, BioCare explained: "We strongly believe the BioCare brand stands for excellent customer service, the best education, training and advice and the highest quality products based on innovation and scientific research.
"These principles, upon which BioCare is based, add value for retailers and their customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace; erosion of this value by price discounting is not a sustainable strategy - for either our customers or our consumers."
The company also believes such a stance will encourage customers into their local health food store, where they can obtain the correct advice.

Attitudes over supplement need revealed
Almost 50 per cent of consumers hardly ever take VMS products because they believe they obtain everything they need from the diet.
That is the verdict of a study by market analysts Key Note, which also found that 80.8 per cent of consumers felt they did not require any functional foods as their normal diet provided them with all they required.
However, although consumption of functional foods may be low, general interest in the area came in at 43.8 per cent. Analysts put this down to people understanding the nature and value of functional food and drinks but not seeing it as significant enough to change their diet.
Worryingly, 54.4 per cent of those surveyed tended not to believe health claims made by manufacturers of functional food and drinks.
Key Note pointed out that the sector increased by 8.3 per cent in 2007, compared to 22.1 per cent growth the year before. The VMS sector also only increased by 0.4 per cent in the year ending August 12 2007.