Opinion

Earlier this year, The Guardian broke the story of the legal dispute between the animal rights charity League Against Cruel Sports and a vegan, Jordi Casamitjana, who claims to have been unfairly dismissed for pointing out that the charity’s pension fund invests in firms involved in animal experimentation.

Each year the run-up to Christmas starts earlier and earlier. Retail calendars are planned well in advance, Black Friday has become a popular fixture in the diary and even mince-pies are on sale in September. It’s all heavily focused on shopping and buying, but as ethical trends continue to rise, we need to adapt to the new consumer who might be looking deeper.

The good governance of the food supply chain and the protection of vulnerable operators have become something of a mantra for policy-makers at both national and EU levels. One example of this is the European Commission’s recent proposal for a directive on Unfair Trading Practices (UTPs) in business-to-business relationships in the food supply chain in spring.

From a health perspective, there are good reasons to throw moderation out of the window and eat plenty of minimally processed plant foods.

Whether the UK and EU achieve a Brexit agreement or fail to agree and move instead to World Trade Organization rules, there will still be changes to which the food industry must adapt.

When you’re sent to hospital for a procedure, or your child is due to start school, food is probably the last thing on your mind. Sadly, many vegans don’t have this luxury in situations where they have to rely on others to cater for them.

If there is one concern that seems to have been gaining momentum among the public this year, that is plastic pollution resulting from single-use plastic and its consequences for the environment, animal life and human health.

Helen Yeardsley, beauty industry expert, casts her eye over the campaigns making waves in the natural beauty space and examines the trends being driven by Generation D

A well-presented store with stock neatly arranged, and price and product details clearly visible, is essential to achieve customer loyalty and drive sales. The store environment in general, particularly how easy it is to shop, is no less important than having a carefully curated range that is appealingly priced.

You hear a lot of scare stories about soya, which is a shame because it’s a valuable source of nutrition, particularly if you avoid animal products like meat and dairy. Soya-based foods can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and may even provide some health benefits.

This month’s analysis is from Simon Benadiba, political consultant, The Whitehouse Consultancy

In the weeks before Clearspring celebrated its 25th birthday, Christopher Dawson, Maria Dawson and Zoe West sat with Rosie Greenaway and reflected on where it all began, why it all began and how the brand’s products represent the future of food

Eating out as a vegan is no longer a time-consuming, difficult challenge it once was – food options have become so much better, particularly over the last few years. It’s hard to believe those who have been vegan for decades used to carry around their own little carton of soya milk, just to be in with a chance of a decent cup of tea

In a letter to the editor, John Brear, national sales director at Bio-Nature, takes a moment to share his thoughts on his friend and colleague Diane Suddell, who passed away on 25 July. 

Protein is not in short supply in UK diets, but nevertheless, it’s a hot topic in the world of food. National guidelines encourage us to eat more beans and pulses because they are healthy and sustainable sources of this nutrient, but some people are not familiar with these foods. We can help to protect our health and the environment by promoting plant protein.

Plastics in the sea, straws, billions of unrecyclable coffee cups: 2018 has been the year of environmental sustainability … or at least that’s how it seems.

Whether it’s beautifully arranged plant-based dishes on Instagram, animal rights billboard campaigns, or lengthy features in Sunday supplements of our national newspapers, veganism is increasingly present in our lives.

In April, Natural & Organic Products Europe hosted an eagerly anticipated session with Michael Wale in conversation with activist and MP Zac Goldsmith, in...

Rosie Greenaway sits with Antipodes founder Elizabeth Barbalich on the Kinetic stand at Natural & Organic Products Europe to discuss Manuka honey, online marketplaces,...

It’s been estimated that over half a million Brits are eating vegan diets, and many more are deciding to consume less animal products.