UK Manufacturers Call for Industrial Partnership With Government

02 Jul 2014 --- The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), the voice of UK food and drink manufacturers, today published Ingredients for Success: Delivering Sustainable Growth Beyond 2015, setting out its agenda for working in partnership with government after the 2015 general election.

Launched by FDF's Director General Melanie Leech at the annual FDF Parliamentary reception at the House of Commons, Ingredients for Success calls for:

• An industrial strategy for the UK's largest manufacturing sector driven by a new Food & Drink Manufacturing Council
• Robust voluntary frameworks for industry action working in partnership with government and others
• A coherent food policy framework with food safety, security and resilience, sustainability and authenticity at its heart.
• Co-chaired by leading figures from industry and government, the Council would set out an ambitious agenda for growth and unleash the industry's full potential to foster innovation to solve key challenges; target export promotion; and create a long-term, industry-led skills strategy that meets the needs of the sector.

Melanie Leech, Director General at FDF said: “Food and drink manufacturing is a great British success story and throughout its history our industry has embraced new ideas which have transformed consumers' lives. The industry was resilient through recession and has continued to invest in skills and innovation to reduce its environmental impact and support improvements in public health.

“We have already achieved a great deal in areas such as exports. We ask the next government to build on this success and to work with us to unlock our full potential and in a way which is sustainable and which puts health, skills, resource efficiency and resilient supply chains at the heart of growth to provide safe, affordable and nutritious food for all.”