Navigating Complexities in Food and Beverage Labelling with The Cloud 4
CLH Digital
Issue 168
By Janez Sodja, Director of Field Sales, Loftware EMEA (www.loftware.com) Food and beverage labelling is becoming increasingly complex for companies to manage. Achieving compliance, gaining a competitive advantage, and keeping pace within this ever-shifting regulatory landscape can pose challenges for manufacturers. From a regulatory perspective, the food and beverage sector, already heavily regulated, has seen a raft of changes across the globe. Just last April, the UK Calories Labelling Regulation legislated that any out-of-home food business with 250 or more employees must implement mandatory calorie labelling. Looking ahead to October 2023, the Northern Ireland trade deal will take effect in the UK, requiring all meat products and some fresh dairy products that are moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland to be individually labelled. What’s more, recent years have also seen a notable shift in allergen labelling regulations. Tragic incidents, such as the case of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who passed away after consuming a baguette without adequate allergen information, underscored the urgency for enhanced standards in allergen labelling and food safety. In response, the food and beverage sector implemented "Natasha's Law" in October 2021 aimed at prioritising consumer safety and safeguarding customers. This is just one of many food labelling regulations introduced in recent years aimed at strengthening standards around allergen and food safety.
THE RISE OF THE SUSTAINABILITY-CONSCIOUS CONSUMER In addition to stringent regulations, new consumer demands require greater agility from manufacturers. A recent report from Ecovia Intelligence highlights that consumers actively seek out sustainable food brands and regularly include them in their online and offline shopping baskets. First Insight research echoes this sentiment and according to their recent survey, 73% of Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for an environmentally sustainable product. This trend has elevated the significance of ethical sourcing and sustainability labels within the food and beverage industry. Consumers are scanning the shelves for the all-important “eco-friendly” or “fairtrade” icons that prove the environmental credentials of a product. In response, it has led to the emergence of carbon labelling in recent months, which provides information about a product’s carbon emissions throughout its life-
cycle. In the UK alone, several companies have begun conducting nationwide trials of carbon labelling, most notably Just Eat, with formal regulation anticipated to be introduced in the near future, signifying the industry's commitment to transparency and sustainability.
THE POWER OF CLOUD-BASED LABELLING FOR ADAPTABILITY AND COMPLIANCE How food and beverage manufacturers handle their labelling operations is crucial. They need to be agile and responsive, accepting their duty of care. Often overlooked, the label plays a pivotal role in their ability to adapt to consumer and regulatory demands. The good news is that food and beverage companies can benefit from modern technology when facing this shifting landscape. Cloud-based labelling solutions offer a plethora of benefits in this regard. One key advantage being their ability to perform real-time compliance checks, instantly flagging any noncomplaint elements or errors in labels. This level of automation and integration allow manufacturers to swiftly identify and address any gaps in compliance, mitigating the risk of penalties and ensuring consumer safety concerns are addressed promptly. Cloud-based labelling solutions also play a vital role in driving product traceability and sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle. They enable manufacturers to capture real-time data, ensuring the accuracy of information from sourcing to disposal. By tracing products both upstream and downstream, these solutions empower manufacturers to effectively manage the product lifecycle and promote sustainable practices. Equipped with cloud-based labelling, these intelligent supply chains can track, trace, and authenticate goods at every stage, fostering transparency and empowering consumers to make informed choices. In addition to its functionality and data capture capabilities, the cloud offers cost-effective deployment, which is especially advantageous during times of cost pressures. Implementing cloud-based solutions eliminates the need for significant upfront investments in hardware infrastructure. Instead, companies can leverage the flexibility and scalability of cloud services, paying only for the resources they use. This approach allows food and beverage manufacturers to allocate their budgets more effectively, thereby reducing operational expenses and improving the bottom line.
THE FUTURE LIES IN THE CLOUD Cloud-based labelling solutions provide food and beverage companies with the adaptability, compliance, and cost-efficiency necessary to navigate the complex regulatory landscape, meet consumer demands, and drive sustainability in the industry. By embracing these technologies, manufacturers can enhance their competitiveness and ensure their products meet the evolving expectations of both regulators and conscious consumers.
Fuller’s Named As Corporate Community Hero “We were impressed by their goal of donating 1% of their annual profits to charity, and their varied fundraising tactics to achieve this, from an annual Bridge Walk and company-wide football match, to donating a percentage from selected menu items. They are also planning to expand their partnership with Special Olympics GB by offering much-needed employment opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities – showing that support can come in many forms.”
Fuller, Smith & Turner has been named as the Corporate Community Hero 2023. The award, given by PubAid and the AllParty Parliamentary Beer Group, was presented at the latter’s annual dinner on 4 July. The Corporate Community Hero Award is made annually to a pub company that goes the extra mile to support charities and good causes. Fuller’s was chosen this year in recognition of its outstanding support, in particular for its main charity partner Special Olympics Great Britain.
Fuller’s chief executive Simon Emeny said:
PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan said: “Fuller’s is a very worthy winner of this year’s Corporate Community Hero Award. In judging, we look for charity and community support that is consistent, involves the whole company in pubs and head office, and provides significant help to those in need. Fuller’s delivers on all these criteria in spades!
Support Rainbow Migration with a Pint at The George IV
The George IV in Chiswick will be partnering up with Rainbow Migration – a charity that provides emotional and practical support to members of the LGBTQI+ community who are going through the UK’s asylum and immigration system. With the support from Siren Craft Brew, its Lumina Session IPA will be rebranded as Illuminate Session IPA – with 50p for every pint sold to be donated the charity. The George IV prides itself as being the venue at the heart of Chiswick High Road that pushes positive, forward thinking and is a creative hub – championing diversity while celebrating its heritage. The pub has regularly hosted West London Queer Project events for the past two years – moving closer to its goal of creating a space that’s truly open for all.
Siren Craft Brew has collaborated with The George IV, and other Fuller’s pubs, in the past to help other LGBTQI+ charities. The latest charity collaboration, Siren’s Illuminate, is a session IPA – with juicy tropical fruit notes,
Ben Bullman, Manager of The George IV, said:
“We are delighted to, once again, be collaborating with Siren to offer a beer with a purpose. Rainbow Migration is a charity close to the hearts of the team at The George IV and Siren Craft Brew – so it’s fantastic to raise money and awareness for this incredible cause.” Lauren McCabe, Philanthropy Manager of Rainbow Migration, said: “We are delighted that the teams at The George IV and Siren Craft Brew have collaborated to support Rainbow Migration. This exciting fundraising initiative will help us to ensure LGBTQI+ people seeking sanctuary get the help and support they need when going through the asylum system. We are grateful for the awareness that Illuminate will also bring to local Chiswick residents and those who are visiting The George
“We are thrilled to be recognised by PubAid and the Beer Group for our commitment to charity and local communities. Since we started our partnership with Special Olympics GB in 2018, our teams have been really engaged in raising money and awareness for the charity. It’s been wonderful to see the whole business come together for fundraising events, which have been hugely enjoyable as well as raising healthy sums for the charity.”