Goodbye to EU sugar quotas

Earlier this week Food and Farming Minister David Heath visited the Coca-Cola Enterprisesfactory in Edmonton, North London, to see for himself what difference it will make.

“EU sugar quotas, which are driving up the wholesale price of sugar by as much as 35%, are a prime example of the kind of barriers to growth that Government is working hard to remove," Mr Heath said.

"I came here today not only to see a leading company committed to improving both efficiency and sustainability, but also to find out what more Government can do to help Britain’s food and drink industry grow economically and compete in the global race."

Mr Heath met a delegation from the UK Industrial Sugar Users Group, representing food and drink manufacturers.

In June the EU negotiators agreed to end sugar production quotas from 2017, as part of wider reforms to the EU's common agricultural policy, after 45 years of quotas and minimum sugar beet prices.

Steve Adams, Group Director, Supply Chain Operations, Great Britain at Coca-Cola Enterprises, said:

"At CCEit is our aim to set an industry standard in efficient and responsible manufacturing.

"Both the EU's recent decision regarding sugar quotas and the new Soft Drinks Roadmap will greatly contribute to our efforts and we were delighted to welcome David Heath to our Edmonton facility to see sustainable manufacturing in practice."