Day: 29 December 2025

Supermarkets playing with fire on future of food, says WWF

Stuart Mitchell

The UK’s broken food system is causing environmental collapse and creating volatility in supply and price, according to a report by WWF released recently.     Drawing on data from 10 retailers (Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Lidl GB, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose), 2025’s What’s in Store for the Planet report assesses the progress on environmental action of 90% of the UK grocery market and concludes that action on reducing environmental risks is stagnating.   It warns that without decisive action environmental impacts will escalate, threatening food security and…

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VA and the Ad Council Affirm That Every Veteran Deserves Support – Regardless of When, Where or Why They Served

Stuart Mitchell

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Ad Council have unveiled a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) as part of their ongoing national campaign, “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.” The initiative encourages all Veterans facing challenges to visit VA.gov/REACH, a comprehensive resource hub specially designed to connect them with resources and services to support them across life’s challenges. The new suite of PSAs, titled “You Are a Veteran,” acknowledge that many Veterans wrestle with complex feelings about their service, sometimes questioning whether they deserve Veteran resources and…

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M&S Brought Sustainable Sprouts To The Christmas Dinner Table With Seed-To-Shelf Innovation

Stuart Mitchell

Marks & Spencer has put seed planting innovation at the heart of Christmas this year.   Brussels sprout supplier Seahills from Arbroath has pioneered mixing wildflower seeds between sprout rows to provide important habitats for bees, butterflies, ladybirds and hoverflies that help to naturally manage pests.  Farming with nature helps to improve biodiversity and crop quality and yield. Seahills is part of the M&S Farming for the Future programme and dedicates 20% of its land to nature as well as measuring its environmental footprint with Soil Association Exchange and taking…

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Unity Trust Bank awards £50,000 worth of grants to customers’ social impact projects

Stuart Mitchell

Unity Trust Bank has announced the recipients of its annual £50,000 Impact Grants programme. Nearly 200 grant applications were received this year from Unity customers across a range of sectors in the UK. Ten socially-minded organisations, each receiving £5,000, were chosen by a panel of judges. The successful recipients are: Break The Silence supports people who have been affected by childhood sexual trauma in East and North Ayrshire. Green Futures in Grimsby provides horticultural and craft-based activities to improve health and well-being and increase employability. In Your Space Circus, a…

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86% of marketers in the dark on campaign and performance effectiveness, report finds

Stuart Mitchell

Funnel, the marketing intelligence platform, and market insights company Ravn Research have recently released a report on the state of agencies and in-house marketers. Full report available here.   The report draws upon quantitative and qualitative research from 238 in-house and agency marketers and leaders. Funnel and Ravn have found that marketers are inundated with data across thousands of sources and can’t marshal insights on how their campaigns reach customers and deliver returns on investment. The report also identifies a mismatch between marketers’ recognition of AI’s effect on consumer habits and…

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