Food for thought
IN contrast to those Ministers who believe – wrongly – new laws are the answer to every policy challenge, Hilary Benn has already shown, on the issue of clear food labelling, that this need not be the case. The consensus that he's built with supermarkets has offered a financial lifeline to Britain's farmers.
Equally, the Environment Secretary and Leeds Central MP is showing up his Cabinet colleagues with his agreement that will force grocery manufacturers and retailers to make significant cuts to food and packaging waste, a move which could reduce costs by 1bn and carbon emissions by three million tonnes.
Just because so much food – particularly dry produce – has been lavishly packed for years does not mean that it is right. The food industry, like all others, has to adapt to change and Mr Benn has shown, once again, that there is a role for co-operation and consensus in the decision-making process.