All articles by Ben Cooper
Ben Cooper
Ben Cooper is a contributing editor at just-food.
Energy use in drinks production feels the heat – Sustainability Spotlight
The COP 26 climate conference looms and, with it, an intensified focus on energy use in the production of food and drinks.
What drinks brand owners should know about COP 26 – sustainability spotlight
Sustainability expert Ben Cooper looks ahead to the crucial COP 26 UN climate conference, taking place in Glasgow in six weeks’ time, and its implications for beverage brand owners.
Why drinks brand owners should jump at UN’s private sector collaboration approach – sustainability spotlight
Sustainability expert Ben Cooper assesses the importance of next month’s ‘Food Systems Summit’ to drinks brand owners.
Taking chances on taking stances – How company engagement in public debates is changing – sustainability spotlight
Heineken’s recent advocacy of COVID-19 vaccination drew vociferous criticism from the anti-vax movement. But, Ben Cooper writes, companies have an inalienable right to seek to influence public debates. How they do this is becoming more overt, making it all the more important they judge consumer sentiment accurately.
How drinks brands are approaching the circular economy from both ends – sustainability spotlight
The pandemic has led to a sharp increase in plastic use and waste while dampening consumer concern about plastic pollution. Consumer pressure regarding plastic use is likely to intensify once again when the COVID-19 crisis subsides, Ben Cooper writes, but building a circular economy in the drinks sector will not be confined to addressing the challenges around plastic use or to packaging.
The dangers of promoting health with low- & no-alcohol offerings – sustainability spotlight
For those consumers who want to be careful about how much they drink, beverage brand owners have more to offer nowadays than just stark warnings. Plans for expanding low- and no-alcohol ranges now feature under the ‘responsible drinking’ pillar of companies’ sustainability strategies. However, Ben Cooper warns, many in the public health field still believe control-orientated alcohol policies are the most effective way to address alcohol misuse.