From the author
Opinion: Ending duty-free tobacco sales would be good for health, and budgets
Numerous studies show that when tobacco prices rise, people smoke less and try to quit more often.
Parents find food label system confusing
The Health Star Ratings are found confusing, misunderstood and have little credibility among shoppers.
Latest data suggests Australia is overcoming its sugar addiction
The number of adults drinking sugary drinks fell from 40.2 per cent in 2011–12 to 29.9 per cent in 2023.
Analysis: How the new soft plastics recycling program will work
The new scheme aims to collect and recycle more soft plastic packaging from consumers, such as shopping bags and food pa...
NZ’s supermarket sector needs competition from within
However, New Zealanders hoping for a foreign hero to break up the current supermarket concentration will be waiting a lo...
How China’s appetite for salmon could reshape global seafood markets
E-commerce has reshaped consumer fish-purchasing behaviour in China – and research shows that will have global implicati...
From garlic to parsley: the herbs and spices Australians love most
Studies has shown eating herbs and spices daily can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The Foodstuffs merger is dead for now, but that won’t fix NZ’s grocery sector
Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island argued the levels of competition in the supermarket sector would not...
Health star labels closer to being mandatory – but there’s a catch
Now, after the food industry made slow progress in meeting the target to roll out health stars to more products voluntar...
Rising fruit prices make healthy eating more expensive in New Zealand
Despite the recent price drops, concerns over food security, food affordability and the nutritional quality of local die...
Opinion: It’s time to split Foodstuffs – not make it stronger
New Zealand currently has just three major supermarket entities: the two Foodstuffs cooperatives (member-owned companies...
Plastic Free July is a waste of time if the onus is only on consumers
The onus for reducing plastic consumption and waste should be placed firmly on those who make plastic and profit from se...
Why the UK has a growing food black market
The British Standards Institution recently stated that 22 per cent of all thefts from lorries and warehouses last year w...
What’s behind Fonterra’s decision to sell its consumer brands?
Fonterra now hopes to use the sale of its consumer brands to invest in the business-to-business side of the company.
How big food companies can do more to create healthier food environments
Healthy eating is challenging and when delicious, unhealthy foods are promoted, it contributes to suboptimal eating patt...
Food for thought: Price gouging is not illegal
The government’s recent Independent Review of the Food and Grocery Code also recommended making it mandatory for the sup...
How can a repeat of Foodstuffs’ facial recognition failure be prevented?
When Foodstuffs North Island announced its intention to trial this technology in February, as part of a strategy to comb...
Why re-establishing Australia’s wine sales in China won’t be easy
The departure of Australian wine from the Chinese market created a gap that was quickly filled by other suppliers.
How healthy are plant-based foods? The Conversation tests 700
Our nutritional audit of more than 700 plant-based foods for sale in Australian supermarkets has just been published.
The future of main streets: Aussies share their essential retailers
A lot of dedication and effort goes into making main streets attractive. Local governments, planners, place makers, econ...
