The current supermarket price war spells good news for hard-pressed consumers in the short term, but is it sustainable and will the long-term consequences for Irish suppliers and producers prove detrimental?

Lobby group Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) is calling on the Government to speed up the introduction of a statutory code of practice for the grocery sector.

Food manufacturers have criticised a new code which bans television and radio advertising of foods with high fat, salt, and sugar content during children’s programmes.

The food and drinks’ industry says it will show efforts made to drive down sugar and saturated fats in processed foods are having a notable impact on people’s health.

A body representing the food and beverage sector is warning the government not to introduce Budget measures that will add to the cost of the weekly household shop.

The Food and Drink sector has warned that measures in the Budget that increase grocery prices will damage prospects for recovery in the domestic economy and put jobs at risk.

The 'Food and Drink Industry of Ireland' group believes a so-called 'fat-tax' will not tackle the problem of obesity here.

Indications that Enterprise Ireland will fund new milk-processing plants are encouraging for the food industry.

Ireland’s food industry will create 30,000 new jobs by 2020, it was claimed today.

The Irish Farmers’ Association has described as “wrongheaded” the decision by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland not to exempt cheese but to “persist” with classifying it as less healthy for children than diet cola.

Ireland’s food industry is calling for the introduction of a grocery sector code of practice and a Government commitment not to introduce “discriminatory taxes” on food or packaging.

THE Department of Education has said its powerless to force schools to provide healthy alternatives in vending machines despite a report on obesity recommending a clear code of practice be drawn up.

Advertisements for cheese and butter could be banned during children's television programmes.

FEW of the Government’s projects are likely to attract as wide a welcome from the public as its plan to bring in legislation which will ban unfair trading practices in the retail sector.

THOUSANDS of jobs have been put at risk at some smaller suppliers who delivered close to €28 million in goods to Superquinn, as the receiver does not have funds to pay them.

In the wake of the Musgrave Group’s purchase of Superquinn today – The Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), the Ibec group that represents the food industry, questioned whether suppliers owed up to €100m by Superquinn will be paid in full for goods provided.

THE country’s two largest farmer groups have welcomed the publication of the Travers Report setting out details of the draft statutory code of practice for the grocery goods sector.

SUGAR shortages in the European Union will leave Irish food companies facing price increases and ingredient sourcing difficulties this year, according to the food wing of employers’ body IBEC.

EMPLOYERS’ group IBEC has said the strong performance of the food and beverage sector will continue this year, but has warned “poorly thought-out legislation” has the ability to damage the sector’s competitiveness and de-rail export growth.

FARM groups and industry leaders are urging Seanad members to reject the Climate Change Response Bill, due to be tabled for a second stage vote next Thursday.

IRELAND’s food and drink industry needs to cut costs by 20% to sustain the sector’s recovery based on growing exports but hampered by difficult domestic market conditions, according to Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII).

PLAYING the “green” card could grow Irish agriculture from a €20bn to a €30bn industry within just a few years, says the Forum on Climate Change.

EUROPE got it right on all counts with its decisions on anti-obesity health promotional food labelling, according to one leading food industry figure.

THE food industry has spent €1 billion lobbying politicians to block an easy-to-understand labelling system, according to an expert group.

WITH the banks very much in the news some focus on other segments of this economy might give a bit more cause for optimism.

Food and Drink Industry Ireland has called on the Government to put the food sector "at the very heart" of the Irish economy.

Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) has welcomed the reduction in excise duty on alcohol saying that it would "have a positive benefit on the Irish food and drink industry".

THE GOVERNMENT should introduce a special tax regime aimed at encouraging more entrepreneurs to establish export-orientated companies, the Irish Exporters’ Association (IEA) has recommended.

RENEWED calls have been made for a Government-backed export credit insurance scheme, as preliminary figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the value of Irish exports fell by 6%, month-by-month in August and import values fell to a 10-year low.

Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), the IBEC group that represents the Irish food sector, today said that new CSO figures demonstrate the need for the urgent introduction of a state-backed export credit insurance scheme.

Representatives of the Irish food and drink industry today met with Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith and called on the Government to take action to avert a crisis among exporters.

Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), the group that represents the Irish food industry, today came out in support of the Lisbon Treaty and said that a ‘Yes’ vote is the right vote for Ireland’s most important indigenous sector.

Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), the group that represents the Irish food industry, today came out in support of the Lisbon Treaty saying a yes vote will protect Ireland's "most important indigenous sector".

The Government is seeking submissions on a new code of practice for the grocery sector, it was announced this afternoon.

IRELAND is experiencing a profound economic shock. The apparent gains and progress of recent years are being rolled back. Government, industry and citizen alike struggle with what is a gloomy short-term future.

The Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) has said up to 2,000 jobs have been lost in the industry this year and 'many thousands more' are at risk.

THE competitiveness of the Irish food and drink sector has been damaged by a high business cost base and sterling depreciation, according to a report.

FOOD exports to Britain were 9% down in February compared with the same month last year, it was revealed yesterday.

IRISH food, drink and horticulture exports declined by 6.5% last year to €8.16 billion, Bord Bia revealed yesterday.

THE Government, through Enterprise Ireland, expects to provide some €30 million over the next five years to progressive companies in the prepared consumer food sector.

Food and Drink Industry Ireland, the group that represents the food and drink sector, today said it was vital that the Government maintained its position that EU proposals on agriculture at the trade talks in Geneva have gone too far.

PEOPLE caught throwing chewing gum on the ground will face a €150 fine as part of a new nationwide crackdown.

THE Irish food and drink industry has come out in favour of a yes vote in next month’s Lisbon treaty referendum.

DEPENDING on your perspective, the outlook for Irish agriculture has never been as positive.