Episode 138 - Reading The News with Zohaib Hussain
Posted by Emily on 25th Dec 2023
In this episode of the Ceres Podcast, Stelios discusses the hospitality news with previous Young Fish Frier Winner Zohaib Hussain from Zero Plus Fish Bar in Cardiff.
They discuss the following topics:
The KFC Controversy: Navigating Health Policies and Business Interests
The article "The KFC Controversy: Navigating Health Policies and Business Interests" delves into the conflict between local councils in England and Wales and KFC over establishing fast-food outlets near schools. The councils aim to combat childhood obesity by restricting these outlets, while KFC argues against these restrictions, claiming they are unscientific and unlawful. The debate highlights the tension between public health objectives and corporate rights, with KFC successfully challenging over 43 councils since 2017, often leading to the dilution of anti-obesity policies.
UK's New Food Recycling Laws: What Businesses Need to Know
The article discusses the new food recycling laws in the UK, focusing on the changes in England, Wales, and Scotland. Key points include:
- England's New "Simpler Recycling" Rules: Introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), these rules, effective from March 2026, require separate food waste collections and a standardised recycling list for all councils. This is a significant shift, as currently only about half of the English councils collect food waste separately.
- Wales' Waste Recycling Legislation: Effective from 6 April 2024, this legislation is part of Wales' commitment to achieving net zero by 2050. It mandates all non-domestic premises to segregate recyclable materials from other waste. The Welsh Government is also enhancing its anaerobic digestion infrastructure.
- Scotland's Existing Regulations: Since 1 January 2014, most urban food businesses in Scotland have been required to present food waste separately under the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012, with fines up to £10,000 for non-compliance.
- England's Progress and Challenges: Despite the Environment Act 2021 outlining regulations for food waste separation and collection, implementation has been slow. Defra's 2018 Strategy set ambitious recycling targets, but delays have shifted the timeline for consistent collection and other schemes to 2025-2026.
- Preparing for the Changes: Businesses can prepare by conducting waste audits, segregating waste streams, ensuring proper labelling and training, and exploring economical solutions like dewatering or on-site composting. Adopting the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle – can reduce costs and environmental impact.
- National Audit Office Report: The NAO's report, published on 30 June 2023, provides insights into the delays in requiring businesses in England to change their recycling processes.
Deliveroo Bolsters Its Arsenal with Non-Food Deliveries
The article discusses Deliveroo's strategic expansion into non-food item deliveries. Originally known for its food delivery service, Deliveroo is now diversifying by offering a range of non-food products, including everyday essentials like screws, medicines, toys, and tools. This move follows its earlier venture into grocery delivery. The expansion includes a dedicated shopping section in their app, designed with a personalised approach to cater to specific occasions. Deliveroo's CEO, Will Shu, highlights the company's intention to be more than just a food delivery service, aiming to integrate high street merchants into their ecosystem. The article mentions partnerships with several supermarkets and retailers like Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Boots, and Screwfix, enhancing their product offerings on the app. This move is partly in response to increasing customer demand for non-food items, as evidenced by the rising number of searches for such products on Deliveroo's app.
Climate Crisis and Crime: A Perfect Storm Brews in the Olive Oil Industry
The article "Climate Crisis and Crime: A Perfect Storm Brews in the Olive Oil Industry" delves into the complex crisis currently faced by the olive oil industry, driven by climate change and economic factors. Extreme weather conditions have significantly reduced olive oil production, particularly in traditional producing countries like Greece. This drop in production has led to a dramatic increase in olive oil prices and has even spurred a series of thefts, with one reported case netting over €300,000. In Greece, where olive oil is crucial to the economy, these thefts are becoming more common due to the high value of the product.
You can listen to previous episodes to learn more about Zohaib Hussain.
If you have listened to this episode, what do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.