These are the most topical and fastest growing challenge in the marketplace today. As they are now well accepted as issues on the end consumer’s agenda. Consumers want to buy products that they can be assured are safe to consume. Many want to choose products that are genuinely and wholly organic. Fair Trade is now well recognised as a stamp of approval that the supply chain workers in the third world are not being exploited in producing the food or beverage the consumer buys.

Layered on top of these consumer demands are the increasing amounts of UK and EU legislation that the SME has to demonstrate that they are abiding by.

Traceability of batches or lots from ‘field to fork’ and ‘fork to field’ is a necessity together with accurate food labelling and control of shelf life.