News article

10 June 2010

Industry urged to 'step up to the plate'

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PRESS RELEASE

The UK's food and drink manufacturing sector is well placed to adapt to the future challenges of climate change, a growing global population and resource scarcity, according to Food and Drink Federation President Ross Warburton.

He will tell today's Campden Day Lecture: “I am convinced that technology – in all its many guises – will play a vital role in underpinning the food industry's collective response to a future world impacted by the challenge of climate change and energy shortages."

But he will also say: “Industry needs to step up to the plate. As part of our strategies for adapting to a resource-constrained future, the entire food chain is going to have to do more to encourage greater efficiency of resource use. Very simply, more will need to be produced with less.”

Warburton pointed to FDF's Five-fold Environmental Ambition as a practical example of how manufacturers are already improving their sustainability – as well as reducing costs and boosting productivity.

He will tell the audience that he remains optimistic the industry – with the support of Government – will continue to prosper despite the many challenges that lie ahead, adding: “I believe that new skills, technologies and innovations will have underpinned our efforts to become ever more resource efficient – and ensured we are well equipped to meet the needs of a new generation of better-informed and even more demanding consumers.”

More Information

FDF Press team
Cath Wilkins on cath.wilkins@fdf.org.uk or 020 7420 7132
Sarah Lovell on sarah.lovell@fdf.org.uk or 020 7420 7131
Rebecca Wilhelm rebecca.wilhelm@fdf.org.uk or 020 7420 7140

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