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Bird Flu Updates

Update 1 December from DfE

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial housed poultry on 12 October 2022 near Sleaford, North Kesteven, Lincolnshire (AIV 2022/113). Following successful completion of disease control activity and surveillance in the zone, the protection zone has ended and the area that formed that protection zone becomes part of the surveillance zone.

 Further Update 1 December

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in other captive birds on 1 December 2022 at a premises near Dorchester, West Dorset, Dorset (AIV 2022/221). A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone has been declared around the premises. All birds will be humanely culled.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was confirmed in commercial poultry at the following premises:

near Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk, Suffolk (AIV 2022/72)

near Honington, West Suffolk, Suffolk (AIV 2022/74)

second premises near Honington, West Suffolk, Suffolk (AIV 2022/77)

second premises near Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk, Suffolk (AIV 2022/85)

Following successful completion of disease control activity and surveillance in the zone, the 10km surveillance zones have been revoked.

For further information or advice please visit https://www.gov.uk/environment.

(Image courtesy of Clker-Free-Vector-Images and Pixabay)

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Vegan Society launches baby and toddler version of its VEG 1 supplement

Available to buy online from now on, VEG 1 Baby and Toddler is a new liquid multivitamin supplement designed specifically with vegan babies and young vegan children in mind. 

Aimed at those aged six months to four years, one bottle contains around 150 servings, about five months' worth, and comes with a handy syringe for dosage accuracy, making it even easier than ever to ensure your little ones start their day the right way, every day.

The launch comes as more people are choosing to raise their children vegan or are enjoying a predominantly plant-based diet. In 2021, a BBC Good Food survey looking into the eating habits of 1,004 children, found nearly 60% either followed a vegan or vegetarian diet, or would like to. Meanwhile, earlier this year, a report from The Vegan Society revealed 69% of UK parents and guardians support schools increasing the number of nutritionally balanced vegan food options on offer.   

VEG 1 Baby and Toddler combines the nutrients essential to its target age group – vitamin A, C and D – with nutrients recommended for a vegan diet – vitamin B12, iodine and selenium. 

One dose of VEG 1 Baby and Toddler provides EU Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) of:  

Vitamin B12 (5μg -200%) 

Vitamin A (400μg – 50%) 

Vitamin C (30mg – 37%) 

Vitamin D (10ug – 200%)  

Iodine (50ug – 33%)  

Selenium (10ug – 18%)  

Bethany Dandy, Business Development and Marketing Officer at The Vegan Society, says: “This is a hugely exciting day for us, VEG 1 Baby and Toddler has been in the works for a long time so it’s great to finally see the finished product on shelves and to be able to offer it to vegan parents and caregivers everywhere.  

"We know how vital it is for vegan babies and children to have everything they need to grow up healthy and strong. That’s why we’ve worked closely with Angharad Banner, an NHS Children’s Dietitian, to ensure it includes everything our mini vegans need. We couldn’t be prouder of the end product!” 

Angharad Banner added: “All children should take a vitamin supplement containing vitamins A, C and D until they are five-years-old.  

"But there are limited options for babies and children on a vegan diet as the most common source of vitamin D, which is essential for helping absorb calcium for strong bones and teeth, is from sheep’s wool. 

"A vegan supplement that also contains vitamin B12 is useful as it takes away the need to source it from specific fortified foods, making VEG 1 Baby and Toddler a very convenient one stop shop for parents,  I’ll be recommending it to everyone!” 

Other nutrients included in the supplement are: 

Vitamin A - for immune system development, eyesight, and healthy skin. 

Vitamin C - for overall health, the immune system and to aid iron absorption.  

Iodine - for brain and neurological development. 

Selenium - for thyroid metabolism. 

While Baby VEG 1 includes the harder to get, key nutrients, it's very important for parents to ensure they include plenty of iron, calcium and protein rich foods in their child's diet, along with essential Omega 3 fats which are found in some seeds and rapeseed oil and easily incorporated into meals. 

Interested in giving VEG 1 Baby and Toddler a go? Head to their shop to make a purchase. VEG 1 Baby and Toddler costs £8.50 for one 150ml bottle. Find out more by visiting their VEG 1 Baby & Toddler FAQs and for more information about raising vegan children, head to www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/family.

Actually, thinking about it, a supply of this supplement would make an ideal Christmas gift for vegan parents with toddlers to raise.

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Asda links with WRAP and Unilever to introduced refill bays

Asda has announced an exciting new ‘refill price promise’ which guarantees each refill product will be cheaper than packaged alternatives as part of its new refill offering.

The supermarket first introduced refilling two years ago and has been continually testing and learning, working with customers to find out what most appeals to them.

Asda has partnered with WRAP and Unilever, with funding from Innovate UK, to find out customer barriers to participation, so it could look at ways it can increase participation.

Clear pricing was the top priority, emphasised by the cost of living crisis, leading to the supermarket implementing a new refill pricing strategy. Other key objectives which were developed based on the barriers discovered; combat uncertainty and apprehension and make the experience fun and enjoyable have also led to changes with greater customer communication and a focus on four key categories – cereals, pet food, store cupboard (including snacks, tea and coffee) and rice, pasta and pulses.

Cadbury’s Giant Buttons, Maynards Wine Gums as well as Harringtons and Wagg pet food will all be introduced at its refill stores - Middleton (Leeds), Toryglen (Glasgow), York and Milton Keynes, with shoppers able to bring their own containers or buy a reusable container in store for use.

The stores will adopt the following features and products:

• Four dry refill bays, with cereals including favourites such as Kellogg’s Cornflakes, Bran Flakes and Coco Pops, Asda branded cereal included newly added Extra Special Cherry & Berry Museli and Triple Choco Crisp.

• A rice and pasta bay featuring Napolina pasta and Asda branded rice as well as a store cupboard bay which has products such as almonds, Yorkshire Tea, Taylor’s of Harrogate coffee, Maynards Wine Gums, Cadbury’s Giant Buttons, Haribo Jelly Beans and Rhubarb and Custard.

• A pet bay which includes Dreamies Cat Treats, Chappie, Pedigree, Harrington’s dog food, Wagg and Chappies dog food, Iams dog and cat food as well as bird food. (pet food will be installed in Toryglen next year)

• Continuation of Unilever prefill products such as Radox shower gel, Alberto Balsam and Simple hand wash prefills, Persil laundry prefill as well as CIF eco refill at home.

• A new lowest priced reusable bag sold at 10p after customers said that they find bringing back multiple containers too bulky and hard to carry.

Susan Thomas, Asda Senior Director of Sustainable commercial activity, said: “We know the cost of living crisis is having a big effect on our customers, so it is important we recognise this in the refill space through our ‘refill price promise’ and ensure customers are getting an even better deal. As well as being cheaper, refill allows customers to buy the exact amount they need, helping them stick to budgets, while at the same time reducing food waste at home.”

With customer’s looking at a number of ways they can reduce their environmental impact beyond refill, Asda’s three biggest refill zones in York, Middleton and Milton Keynes will introduce new product ranges to help customers reduce energy at home and save money, promote reusable containers for lunch times, reduce food waste, and shop more sustainably with products such as coffee and chocolate, and which have Rainforest Alliance accreditation.

Catherine David, Director of Collaboration and Change, WRAP, “Reuse and refill will have big role to play in changing our ingrained shopping habits and weaning ourselves off single use plastic - essential in the transition to a circular economy for plastics. 

"Research we conducted in partnership with Asda and Unilever has provided rich learnings that are enabling us to better understand what’s needed to get customers trying reuse and refill and keep them coming back. 

"We know we need to make this an easy and cost-effective process and Asda are showing how this is possible. They should be commended for their leadership on reuse and refill, and we look forward to seeing more action from supermarkets and brands on this critical system change”.