NEWS
16 MAY 2025 ASIAN TRADER 5
Leading UK baby food
brands are falling short on
vital nutritional promises,
with experts warning that
parents are being “misled”
by marketing claims, states
a new report.
According to a BBC
Panorama investigation,
laboratory testing of 18
popular baby food pouch
brands found many lacked
essential nutrients like
vitamin C and iron. The
investigation included
leading names like Ella’s
Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo,
Little Freddie, as well as own
label brands from supermar-
kets Aldi and Lidl
Some pouches even
packed more sugar than a
one-year-old should
consume in an entire day.
The findings raise
concerns about a lucrative
baby food pouch market that
has become valued for its
convenience and long shelf
life.
Experts cautioned that
these pouches should only
be used sparingly, not as
substitutes for home-cooked
meals, warning that over-re-
liance could pose serious
health risks to young
children.
Savoury pouches
intended as meal replace-
ments contained less than
5% of the daily iron infants
require. In some fruit
pouches, almost all vitamin
C had been lost during
processing, and “no added
sugar” products still
contained high levels of
“free sugars”.
Baby food brands accused
of misleading parents
RTDs: not just
RTDs: not just
a summer fling
a summer fling
Nick Gillett is Co-founder and
Managing
Director of
successful spirits
distributor
Mangrove
Global, as well as
an industry
expert and
commentator. In his column for
this issue, Nick celebrates the
noble RTD, whose convenience
and breadth of choice brings
real sparkle to the chilled
alcohol section
The RTD (ready to drink) category is
no longer just a seasonal sidekick –
it’s fast becoming a fixture in fridges
year-round. Once seen as a novelty
or only for park drinks in the sun,
RTDs are now being taken seriously.
And for good reason.
Consumers want cocktails
without the faf. They want flavour,
familiarity and fun but without
buying a back bar’s worth of
ingredients. A great can of G&T, a
Paloma or Mojito they can grab from
your fridge meets that moment
perfectly. Stocking a smart RTD
range gives shoppers choice,
convenience, and curiosity all in one
recyclable can.
But not all cans are created
equal. The category is booming,
which means there’s a fair few
average (and below average)
options out there. The biggest
mistake retailers can make is filling
the fridge with recognisable names
without tasting what’s inside first.
Big brands can be bland, while
smaller producers are often more
focused on flavour, using real
ingredients and premium spirits.
Take East London Liquor
Company, their Grapefruit Gin &
Tonic and Vodka & Rhubarb sodas
are brilliant examples of how an
independent producer can nail taste,
branding and value in a can.
Think about what spirits already
sell well in your store and then look
for a matching RTD from a trusted
producer. This isn’t just a trend. It’s a
shift in how people are drinking and
your fridge space needs to reflect
that.
The government is being warned
that proposed reforms to zero
hours contracts under the
Employment Rights Bill will put
undue administrative and
financial burdens on employers
in the retail industry, as they rely
heavily on part time, seasonal
and casual workers.
The House of Lords’ first
committee debate agenda on the
Employment Rights Bill
contained guaranteed hours
contracts and penalties for shift
cancellations.
However, consultants RSM
UK said that the bill in its current
form will put undue administra-
tive and financial burdens on
employers, particularly in the
retail and hospitality sectors.
The proposed bill means
employers must ofer workers
on zero or low hours contracts a
guaranteed number of hours,
based on the average number of
hours per week worked – expect-
ed to be over a 12-week reference
period.
The government’s aim is to
end one-sided flexibility and
exploitative zero hours
contracts, ensuring some
security and predictability so
workers can better plan their
lives and finances.
However, a recent British
Retail Consortium survey
highlighted that 70% of HR
directors from leading retailers
felt the Employment Rights Bill
would have a negative impact on
their business, with the biggest
concern being the right to
guaranteed hours.
Several amendments are
being proposed to the right to
guaranteed hours in the House
of Lords, including an extension
of the reference period from 12
weeks and a definition of a “low
hours contract”.
RSM UK’s head of employ-
ment legal services, Charlie
Barnes said, “If the bill is
implemented in its current
form, the general consensus is
that this will lead to a reduction
in hiring.”
Contracts excessively hurt retailers hiring part-time staff
Government urged to
Government urged to
reconsider zero hours reform
reconsider zero hours reform
NEWS/COMMENT