News and Blogs

The Grocer New Product and Packaging Awards 2023 is now open for entries. Brands from alcohol and confectionery to store cupboard and cheese are invited to showcase their most compelling launches (and relaunches). In a change to previous years, the 2023 event will recognise every shortlisted entry's excellence, awarding a gold, silver or bronze medal in recognition of efforts to bring excitement and difference to grocery aisles. This year will also shine a spotlight on...

A new scheme to enable small and medium-sized enterprises, or ‘SMEs’, to access health and well-being support is being launched today by the Welsh Government. Ministers are providing £8 million to deliver the new In-Work Support Service across Wales over the next two years. The service will provide free access to therapeutic support for employees of SMEs or the self-employed. Support will be available for people who are absent or at risk of becoming absent...

The fifth World Food Safety Day takes place on 7 June 2023 (WFSD) and will draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production, market access, tourism and sustainable development. For further information please select the following link World Food Safety Day 2023 (who.int) Safer food, better business As a food business, you and your staff need to have good personal...

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has published a transformation document which sets out what patents customers can expect over the next 12 months, and details of upcoming changes to IPO’s services as part of the One IPO Transformation Programme. There will also be a number of important changes to the IPO’s services ahead of the new service for patents being launched in spring 2024. For further information please select the following link New patents service...

Cherish your key customers. Not only do they contribute a lot to your bottom line but they also influence others in the industry. They are a source of additional sales and if we lose them to a competitor then our growth can grind to a halt. Customer focused companies therefore seek to 'lock in' their key accounts. They not only strive to retain them but to maximise the revenue from them. This is a key...

The applications for this year's Small Biz 100 are now officially open! This year Small Business Saturday is once again highlighting 100 small businesses, one a day for the 100 days leading up to Small Business Saturday, 2 December 2023. The 100 have not only received exposure on Small Business Saturday's social media channels and in the local and national press, but also joined the Small Business Saturday team in London at receptions in both...

Find out more about your rights under the Equality Act 2010 and how it protects different characteristics. Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have. This information is for employees, employers, individuals using a service, any organisation using a service and the public sector. Under the Equality Act, there are nine protected characteristics: age disability gender reassignment marriage and...

Paid annual leave is a legal right that an employer must provide. Holiday pay is worked out according to the kind of hours someone works and how they’re paid for the hours. This includes: full-time workers part-time workers agency workers workers working irregular shifts casual workers including zero-hours contracts Workers are entitled to a week’s pay for each week of statutory leave that they take. You can use the holiday calculator to work out how...

From 5 to 11 June 2023 is the 100th annual Bike Week, marking a century of celebrating everyday cycling for everyone. Bike Week 100 is all about workplace cycling and encourages as many workplaces as possible to support their staff to ride during the week, it can be anything from organising an event ride to simply encouraging staff to choose the bike instead of the car. This year, the UK's largest cycling awareness week is...

The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) has issued its next funding call, with a total funding pot of £2 million for projects that will lead to a step-change in company growth within the offshore wind sector. Projects can focus on one or more of the following areas that facilitate company growth: Investing in new equipment or facilities to increase manufacturing or service delivery capacity or capability. Developing and implementing new operational processes that will increase...