WHAT WILL WE EAT TOMORROW - UK FOOD-INDUSTRY AND ITS MARKET

An OECD report on Food Marketing and Economics stated in 1970 that 'the basic direction of development ... is towards a food industry dominated by a limited number of large, efficient, dynamic, market oriented companies'. This is certainly so. In the UK from one to three companies already account for from 60 to 96% of the sales of a wide range of processed foods (biscuits, breakfast cereals, bread, frozen fish, frozen vegetables, ice cream, margarine, potato crisps, sugar, tea, tinned fruit and tinned soups). Out of £362 million spent on advertising in 1973, £88 million was spent on food, more than on any other product category. Undoubtedly the food industry is influencing to an increasing extent what people eat, and their nutrition. An extensive report on the status of the UK food industry and many of its sectors, British Food Profile1, was released in 1978. The report is discussed below. © 1979.