Regulation & safety

GettyImages/luoman

EU Commission proposes EUDR implementation delay

By Jane Byrne

The EU Commission has proposed a 12-month extension for the phasing-in of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The move follows warnings of trade chaos from stakeholders and governments.

According to the World Health Organization, 2.7m people die in Europe every year due to four major commercial products – one of which is ultra-processed food. GettyImages/gerenme

Ultra-processed food kills, says WHO

By Flora Southey

The World Health Organization is linking ultra-processed food, alcohol, tobacco, and fossil fuel industries to millions of deaths in Europe every year.

Image: Getty/	ampueroleonardo

Sustainability

Cocoa investors request major chocolate companies pay farmers more

By Anthony Myers

An investor letter issued earlier this month by non-profit Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ) has called out international chocolate companies to end what it described as “exploitative purchasing practices,” mainly in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

Tech is helping transform bakery and snack businesses. Pic: GettyImages

What advances is AI making in bakery and snacks?

By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe

Hint: The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is less to do with glossy marketing campaigns and packaging visuals and more about uncovering the mystery of algorithms and getting a better handle on supply chain data.

Luker cocoa farmer  Eugenia Jiménez, inspects this season's crop. Pic: Luker Chocolate

Sustainability

Luker Chocolate on course to impact 1,500 farmers by 2027

By Anthony Myers

Luker Chocolate, the premium Colombian Business-for-Business (B4B) chocolate manufacturer, has revealed significant progress towards Its 2027 sustainability targets, including increasing income for farmers, social wellbeing, and deforestation-free cocoa.

New EU regulations is supposed to halt deforestation. Pic: Global Forest Watch

Regulation

Brussels, do we have a problem with the EUDR?

By Anthony Myers

‘Beleaguered’ is perhaps too strong an adjective to describe the forthcoming European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), but when the bloc’s Director General for Trade goes on record as describing its current state as "extremely burdensome,"...

Sustainability is hard-wired into most supply chains these days, but there is still room for improvements, our next free webinar will hear. Pic: CN

CN Webinar

Free webinar: Is there a crisis in cocoa supply chains?

By Anthony Myers

With the new European Union Deforestation Regulation on the horizon, should the industry adopt a more responsible approach to procurement when sourcing cocoa beans and other ingredients? Sign up for our free webinar to discuss!

Leticia Yankey is the founder of the first ladies-only cocoa cooperative in Ghana. Pic: Oxfam

World Cocoa Conference 2024

Oxfam slams large chocolate companies at World Cocoa Conference

By Anthony Myers

Against a backdrop of cocoa topping $11,000 per metric ton on the futures market for the first time last week, Oxfam says its experts will be highlighting the discrepancies in farmgate price at this week’s World Cocoa Conference (WCC) in Brussels (21-24...

Getting to the root causes of child labour in Ghana. Pic: ICI

Sustainabilty

High-level initiative set up to tackle child labour in Ghana

By Anthony Myers

A multi-stakeholder initiative has been launched in Ghana to ‘end child labour in all its form,’ by eradicating its root causes, and coordinating ongoing efforts along Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Hub allows Moo Free to trace every part of its supply chain

News

Moo Free unveils new traceability tool, The Hub

By Gwen Ridler

Dairy-free chocolate maker Moo Free is strengthening its sustainability credentials with the launch of The Hub, a business tool offering the manufacturer complete traceability across its supply chain.

Ghana's regulator is set to raise the farmgate price for Cocoa. Pic: COCOBOD

Commodites

Ghana poised to raise its cocoa farmgate price

By Anthony Myers

Ghana will follow Cote d’Ivoire and raise the fixed farmgate price paid to cocoa farmers by up to 50%. The announcement could be made as early as the end of this week, ConfectioneryNews understands.

The UK needs to make good on promises, and support farmers to protect forests and build a fairer future, Fairtrade said. Pic Nestle

Regulation

Fairtrade calls for UK to beef up its deforestation laws

By Anthony Myers

Similar to the European Union's deforestation measures to tackle deforestation linked to commodity imports, the UK government has announced a new global deforestation law, but Fairtrade is concerned about the extra costs to farmers.

© GettyImages/lisegagne

EUDR: 'Significant legal uncertainties persist'

By Jane Byrne

Operators and traders strive to comply with EUDR but face challenges: gaps in information, technical solutions, and supply chain complexities, claim FEFAC, FEDIOL, and agribusiness groups.

94% of UK consumers  buy Easter eggs, yet 31% would avoid an ethical brand because of mistaken cost assumption, Fairtrade claims. Pic: Fairtrade

Seasonal

Fairtrade urges UK to buy more sustainable Easter eggs

By Anthony Myers

This Easter, shoppers can do more than choose between milk, dark, or white chocolate eggs; they have the power to make a significant difference to the cocoa farmers, says Fairtrade UK.

The European Union's deforestation regulation is set to come into force on 31 December 2024. Pic: WCF

EUDR

European Union to delay ‘high risk’ element of deforestation bill

By Anthony Myers

The European Union (EU) has signalled its intent to delay the most controversial parts of its anti-deforestation regulation (EUDR) after protests by governments in Asia, Africa, and Latin America described the low, standard, or high-risk benchmarking...

CSDDD backed by EU: What’s changed? GettyImages-/harrocks

CSDDD backed by EU: What’s changed?

By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

After weeks of delay, the CSDDD has finally gained EU backing. However, with a range of concessions and changes made to the legislation, what does the revised CSDDD look like?