Academic literature on the topic 'Food Taxes'

AbstractAimTo set out a policy analysis of food taxes as a way of influencing food consumption and behaviour.DesignThe study draws on examples of food taxes from the developed world imposed at national and local levels. Studies were identified from a systemised search in six databases with criteria designed to identity articles of policy relevance.ResultsThe dominant approach identified from the literature was the imposition of food taxes on food to raise general revenue, such as Value Added Tax in the European Union. Food taxes can be applied in various ways, ranging from attempts to directly influence behaviour to those which collect taxes for identified campaigns on healthy eating through to those applied within closed settings such as schools. There is a case for combining taxes of unhealthy foods with subsidies of healthy foods. The evidence from the literature concerning the use and impact of food taxes on food behaviour is not clear and those cases identified are mainly retrospective descriptions of the process. Many food taxes have been withdrawn after short periods of time due to industry lobbying.Conclusions for policySmall taxes with the clear purpose of promoting the health of key groups, e.g. children, are more likely to receive public support. The focus of many tax initiatives is unclear; although they are generally aimed at consumers, another focus could be food manufacturers, using taxes and subsidies to encourage the production of healthier foods, which could have an effect at a population level. Further consideration needs to be given to this aspect of food taxes. Taxing food (and subsidies) can influence food behaviour within closed systems such as schools and the workplace.

Where people shop for food is often linked to the healthiness of food purchases. In Mexico, no research has examined the connection between where people shop, what they buy, and their socioeconomic status (SES). Mexico’s sugary beverage and junk food taxes have made households decrease purchases of taxed products. However, whether households have changed where they shop is unknown. To address this gap, we use a repeated cross-sectional analysis of household packaged food and beverage purchases from the Nielsen Mexico Consumer Panel Survey from 2012 to 2015 (n > 5500 households). We examine changes in the volume of the purchase of taxed and untaxed products from different store-types (i.e., convenience stores, supermarkets, traditional retailers, wholesalers, home water-delivery, and others) by SES using multivariate linear regression models. Results show that high-SES households purchased more foods and beverages at all store-types except for low-SES who purchased the most foods and taxed beverages at traditional retailers. Purchases of taxed foods and beverages from traditional retailers significantly decreased for low-SES and middle-SES households and from supermarkets for middle-SES and high-SES households. Purchases of untaxed beverages from wholesalers significantly increased for middle-SES households and from convenience stores for high-SES households. Our findings suggest that consumers choose different stores to purchase beverages than to purchase foods and that taxes may have differentially affected each store-type.

The five short fiction stories in this collection vary in styles from Realism, Fairy Tale, to Magical Realism, and all relate in some degrees, to the world of food. "The Food Ghost," told between two parallel perspectives, is the story of a young girl whose apartment is haunted by the ghost of a woman cooking through her last days on earth. "Fig," is a fairytale about a little girl who won't eat, and how her slightly over-bearing parents deal with her refusal. "Drive," tells what happens when a woman tries to hitchhike away from a sour relationship. "How Not To Cook An Emu Egg," tells the story of a small town woman who brings an emu egg with her to a big city. "A Certain Kind Of Hunger," follows a young woman with a disease that causes her to transform into a pink monster when she becomes hungry. After each story is a recipe relevant to the narrative, told from one character's perspective in each piece.

La presente tesis puede resumirse en siete palabras griegas: ΘΑΛΗΣ· ἐραστής καὶ ἥρως τῆς σοφίας ἐστíν. Es decir, Tales es amante y héroe de sofía. Mas no un mero φίλος τῆς σοφίας, amigo de ella. Por ello, la primera parte abordará al amor y la sabiduría. Posteriormente, luego de entender desde qué tipo de términos partimos y antes de llegar al tema del héroe, la segunda sección habla de un Θαλῆς dentro de los cosmos por los cuales—cuentan los textos—transitó su vida. En resumen, el primer capítulo propone entender al amor desde un rebosante eros griego, y a la sabiduría como una mujer mítica e histórica que ha acompañado a la humanidad desde sus orígenes. El segundo asciende desde el cosmos interno propio del milesio, es decir, su mística para llegar al externo, sus investigaciones de la naturaleza. El tercero explora el tema del héroe griego pues requerimos captar el sentido antiguo de esta palabra para ver con nuevos ojos los resultados que nos dan las más recientes investigaciones acerca del sabio de Mileto. En definitiva, aquí se encontrará una propuesta del recorrido de ἔρως a ἥρως en Θαλῆς

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico
O custo da cesta bÃsica influencia o salÃrio mÃnimo do trabalhador brasileiro,os resultados deste estudo podem, nesse sentido, evidenciar nÃo somente o comportamento de preÃos bÃsicos do mercado, mas tambÃm da tendÃncia e do comportamento do salÃrio mÃnimo, alÃm das relaÃÃes causais e de transmissÃo de preÃos entre as cidades. Nesse contexto, reveste-se de importÃncia estudos que buscam verificar a integraÃÃo espacial entre os preÃos da cesta bÃsica, aplicado Ãs capitais do Brasil. O presente trabalho abrange sÃries temporais mensais dos preÃos da cesta bÃsica das capitais do nordeste brasileiro AracajÃ, Fortaleza, Natal, JoÃo Pessoa, Recife e Salvador e taxas do mercado financeiro (taxa de juros, taxa de inflaÃÃo e taxa de cÃmbio) compreendendo do perÃodo de julho de 1994 a dezembro de 2013. A pesquisa tem como hipÃtese central os preÃos dos alimentos que compÃem a cesta bÃsica do Decreto-Lei 399/38 entre as capitais da RegiÃo Nordeste do Brasil sÃo integrados e, como objetivo geral verificar a integraÃÃo entre os mercados da cesta bÃsica nas principais capitais do Nordeste do Brasil e objetivos especÃficos analisar a causalidade e transmissÃo de preÃos entre a cesta bÃsica das seis capitais do Nordeste do Brasil e avaliar a causalidade entre as taxa de juros, taxa de inflaÃÃo, taxa de cÃmbio e os preÃos da cesta bÃsica das seis capitais do Nordeste do Brasil. A pesquisa trabalhou anÃlise bivariada e multivariada com metodologias de causalidade e transmissÃo de preÃos avaliando em princÃpio a estacionariedade com os testes ADF e KPSS, co-integraÃÃo com o teste de Engle e Granger baseado em Johansen, transmissÃo de preÃos atravÃs do vetor de correÃÃo de erros (VEC), conforme necessÃrio, por fim o teste de causalidade de Granger. Os resultados para uma anÃlise bivariada mostraram que as sÃries sÃo estacionÃrias, possuindo co-integraÃÃo de ordem (I), mostrando atravÃs da anÃlise multivariada a transmissÃo de preÃos entre as capitais Salvador e Fortaleza para com Aracaju, Natal, Recife e JoÃo Pessoa. Para o teste de causalidade os mercados que mostraram ter uma relaÃÃo de causa e efeito foi Aracajà x Salvador e, para as taxas de mercado financeiro, a taxa de juros possui intensa transmissÃo de informaÃÃes e operaÃÃes arbitrÃrias, a taxa de cÃmbio nenhuma relaÃÃo significativa e a taxa de inflaÃÃo relaÃÃo causal proporcional entre intensidade das informaÃÃes.
The cost of the basic food basket influences the minimum wage of the Brazilian worker, the results of this study may, in these terms, reflect not only the behavior of basic market prices, but also the trend and behavior of the minimum wage, in addition to causal relationships and the transmission of prices between cities.Highlighting, in this context, the importance of studies that seek to verify the spatial integration between prices of basic food baskets, applied in the capitalsof Brazil.This study covers a monthly time-series of prices of the basic food baskets in the capitalsof the northeast of Brazil:AracajÃ, Fortaleza, Natal, JoÃo Pessoa, Recife and Salvador and the financial market rates (interest rate, inflation rate and exchange rate) in the July 1994 to December 2013 period.The study has as central hypothesis to verify if the prices of foodstuffs, which compose the basic food basket according to Decree-Law 399/38, are integrated between the capitals in the Northeast Region of Brazil, as general objective to verifythe integration between markets of the basic food basket in the main capitals in the Northeast of Brazil, and as specific objectives to analyze causality and transmission of prices of the basic food basket in the six capitals in the Northeast of Brazil and assess causality between interest rates, inflation rates, exchange rates and prices of the basic food baskets in the six capitals in the Northeast of Brazil. The study used bivariate and multivariate analysis with causality and transmission of price methods;initially assessing stationarity with ADF and KPSS tests, co-integration with the Engle-Granger test based on Johansen, price transmission using vector error correction (VEC) models, as necessary, and finally the Granger causality test.The results from the bivariate analysis showed that the series are stationary, with the co-integration of order (I), showing the transmission of prices, through multivariate analysis, between the capitals:Salvador and Fortaleza to Aracaju, Natal, Recife andJoÃo Pessoa. For the causality test the markets that presented a cause-effect relationship were Aracajà x Salvador, and for financial market rates, the interest rate has an intense transmission of information and arbitrary operations, the exchange rate has no significant relationship and the inflation rate has causal relationship proportional to the intensity of information

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo incrementar el nivel de servicio a través del uso de la herramienta Just in time. Para ellos, se tuvieron como objetivos específicos balancear la línea del proceso y desarrollar la herramienta Just in time, de esta manera garantizar una óptima producción y el aprovechamiento de los recursos. Para ello se realizó una serie de cálculos tanto de la eficiencia de la línea, la cual daba la pauta de que tan balanceada esta tu línea de producción. Además del cálculo del stock en proceso y el tiempo de no valor agregado; los cuales presentaron una reducción del 94 % y 78%, siendo estos indicadores significativos al desarrollar la herramienta Justo a tiempo. Por último, se realizó el cálculo de las tarjetas Kanban, así como la capacidad y cantidad de contenedores necesarios para el sistema Kanban de la empresa. Los cuales fueron de vital importancia para calcular la producción diaria y justa que tendría la empresa; la cual fue comparada con la cantidad demanda, obtenida en base al takt time de 1,82 y 0,91 min/und tanto para carreto y brida respectivamente. Logrando una producción justa a los requerimientos de la demanda del producto carreto de 264 unidades, a diferencia de la brida presentando un faltante para cubrir dicha demanda de 24 unidades; obteniendo una producción diaria de solo 504 unidades esta este último producto.

En el siguiente trabajo, se analizará la relación de las variables satisfacción y calidad de servicio enfocado en el sector de taxis por aplicativo. Asimismo, se desarrollarán las dimensiones más importantes que se emplean para medir la calidad de servicio: Tangibilidad, confiabilidad, capacidad de respuesta y garantía. El objetivo de la investigación es estudiar los factores de calidad de servicio que influyen directamente en la satisfacción del usuario. Por ende, se realizará una encuesta para medir cual es su nivel de satisfacción con este tipo de aplicativos.
In the following work, the relationship of the variables satisfaction and quality of service focused on the taxi sector by application will be analyzed. Likewise, the most important dimensions used to measure the quality of service will be developed: Tangibility, reliability, response capacity and guarantee. The objective of the research is to study the service quality factors that directly influence user satisfaction.
Trabajo de investigación

A Carne Mecanicamente separada de Frango (CMSF) pode apresentar elevada carga microbiana, como consequência da contaminação durante o processamento ou falhas durante o processo de evisceração. O processo de irradiação é aceito como uma das mais efetivas tecnologias, quando comparada às técnicas convencionais de preservação, por reduzir a contaminação de microrganismos patogênicos e deterioradores. A irradiação provoca alterações químicas no alimento, uma das principais causas da deterioração da qualidade de produtos cárneos crus ou cozidos, durante o armazenamento refrigerado ou congelado. O objetivo deste estudo foi de avaliar os efeitos de diferentes taxas de dose de radiação ionizante sobre a produção de Substancias Reativas ao Ácido Tiobarbitúrico (TBARS), a cor, as características microbiológicas e sensoriais da CMSF adicionada ou não de antioxidantes, ao longo do armazenamento refrigerado, bem como a avaliação das propriedades funcionais.
The mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM) can have a high microbial load, as a result of contamination during processing or failure during the evisceration. The irradiation process is accepted as one of the most effective technologies when compared to conventional techniques of preservation, to reduce contamination of pathogens and spoilage. Irradiation causes chemical changes in food, a major cause of deterioration of quality of raw or cooked meat products during refrigerated storage, frozen. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different dose rates of ionizing radiation on the production of Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), color, microbiological and sensory characteristics of MDCM added or not of antioxidants during storage cooled, and the evaluation of functional properties.

Esta dissertação discute, a partir de um estudo de caso, os condicionantes legais e as estratégias de governança utilizada na implementação do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) nos municípios de Dois Irmãos e Tapes (RS). Seu objetivo principal consiste em analisar as interfaces e os descompassos entre os dispositivos legais que regulamentam o Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar e as formas de aquisição de gêneros alimentícios da agricultura familiar para a alimentação escolar. A pesquisa que deu origem ao estudo utilizou dados secundários, técnicas qualitativas de levantamento de dados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas e observação direta. O presente trabalho mostra que atores sociais, gestores, produtores e consumidores, movidos por interesses e/ou necessidades distintas criam estratégias que, a partir de relações de poder e negociações, se aproximam provocando modificações no modelo dominante, sendo que o local potencializa este movimento pela proximidade entre os atores, possibilitando uma maior interação social com uma consequente institucionalização dos discursos e significados, tendo o Estado como um ator-chave na medida em que tem o poder de regulação. A conclusão sugere que programas alimentares como o PNAE têm a capacidade de aproximar a segurança alimentar, com vistas à melhoria da saúde pública de um lado, e a construção de mercados e políticas de abastecimento alimentar de outro, configurando-se como um importante aliado na formação de novos hábitos alimentares e uma possibilidade de incentivo ao desenvolvimento rural.
This dissertation discusses, in a case study perspective, the legal imposition and governance strategies used in implementing the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in the countries of Dois Irmãos and Tapes (RS). Its main objective is to examine the interfaces and mismatches between the devices that regulate the National School Feeding Program and the ways of getting food from family farming for school meals. The research, which led to the study, used secondary data, qualitative techniques of data collection through semi-structured interviews and direct observation. This study shows that social actors, managers, producers and consumers, moved by interest and/or different needs, create strategies that, from power relations and negotiations, put them closer to each other leading to changes in the dominant model; the place also helps this movement by the proximity between the actors, allowing a better social interaction with a consequently institutionalization of speeches and meanings, where the State plays a key role, having the power to regulate. The conclusion indicates that food programs, like the PNAE, is capable of providing food security, trying to improve public health on one hand, and the construction of markets and food supply policies on the other hand, becoming an important ally by creating new nutritious habits and the possibility of stimulating rural development.

The article addresses the issues of the environment in the context of increasingly intense discussions on climate compliance. The article addresses the situation of Romania in comparison with other member states of the European Union, proceeding to the inventory of the main variables that characterize the situation of the environment and its influence on the economy such as the revenues collected from environmental taxes, the level of gas emissions, the productivity of resources or the consumption of resources depending on the Member State. The interpretation of the collected and analyzed statistical data has shown that Romania is one of the states with high consumption of resources and, at the same time, with low efficiency of the use of resources in terms of productivity.

Value-added taxes (VAT) are applied in the European Union (EU) Member States in accordance with Directive 2006/112/EC to limit distortions in competition in the common European market. Latvia is one of the five EU Member States where reduced VAT rates are not applied to food products, and the food is taxed at the standard rate of 21%. For this reason, food producer organisations discuss the introduction of a reduced VAT rate for selected fruits, berries, vegetables as well as potato grown in Latvia. The overall aim of the present research is to assess the effect of reduction of the VAT rate from 21 to 5% for selected food groups: fresh fruits, berries, vegetables and potato produced in Latvia. The research estimated a decrease in the price for the mentioned food groups, identified a potential increase in consumption and forecasted the effect of the VAT rate reduction on the amount of tax revenue collected by the central government. The research found that the reduction of the VAT rate from 21 to 5 % would result in a price decrease ranging from 1.9 to 3.5% for fruits, berries, vegetables and potato, the consumption of fresh fruits and berries would increase, on average, in the range of 1.2–2.3%, while the consumption of fresh vegetables would increase, on average, in the range of 1.2–2.1%, yet in a short-term the tax revenue paid to the government would decrease in the range of EUR 3.9–5.7 million. Nevertheless, in a medium-term, a significant positive effect on the producers of fruits, berries, vegetables and potato that operate legally in the agricultural industry could be expected, as the negative effect of the shadow economy decreases.

The food industry is a large consumer of energy that depends on fossil fuels, the combustion of which releases large amounts of CO2. The paper examines the possibility of reducing the use of non – renewable energy sources through a detailed energy audit and consideration of measures to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in the ice cream craft industry. The cost-effectiveness of the proposed measures is observed for two scenarios. The first scenario covers the current situation in Serbia, in which there are no carbon taxes, and the price of energy is relatively low compared to other countries in Europe. The second „German scenario“ implies carbon taxes in the amount of 55€/tCO2, which is expected to, with the same energy prices, significantly reduce the repayment period and affect the ranking of measures. The analysis is performed to consider how the carbon tax reflects on the motivation of craft producers to improve energy efficiency.

The study aimed to explore the current situation and services efficiency level of problems of Institutional framework of government support for Ukrainian farms. Nowadays, the agrarian sector of the economy shows a positive dynamics of growth, forming in recent years about 14% of gross value added in the country and about 40% of foreign exchange earnings on exports in Ukraine. This article aims to examine, through content analysis and statistical description, the importance of the agrarian sector in the national economy and its role in ensuring the country's food security requires the sustainability and effectiveness of its development based by experiences of USA and Europe practices. Therefore, the study examined the development of farming and service cooperatives are the necessary actions of the state, aimed at ensuring that a person working on the ground can earn enough money to be interested in continuing the work on his own land. Research data were collected from State Statistics Service of Ukraine, World Economic Forum and The European Statistical System. Research results showed that creating new jobs in the countryside are taxes to local budgets, and the development of rural areas, and the slowdown of urbanization, the reduction of the rate of extinction of the Ukrainian village. Such economic results, supplemented by the solution of other problems that farmers say, will obviously be better prepared for the opening of the land market in the future.

Use of domestic lupin flour will significantly increase the food safety of Russian Federation by means of replacement of imported protein produced in China; their rate takes 97.5% in our market. Plant protein, particularly the lupin protein answers the demands of actual time – the country needs cheap, qualitative products made from local row material. Nutritional value of lupin flour is determined by balanced content of protein (34-46%), oil (3-10%), fiber (10.6-18.2%) and carbohydrates (15-22%). Lupin flour is used for production of gluten-free foods with dietary and therapeutic properties; flour of lupin husk is full valuable, functionally technological and promising raw materials used as food protein supplement. Food supplement enriched with processed lupin should answer the limit acceptable concentration of alkaloid in foods. Foreign lupin flour production and use have the commercial scope; at the same time it practically stopes out in the RF in spite that the perspective of lupin row materials is declared for food quality improving. The article presents the possibility of lupin flour use in development of foods with functional purposes.

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on tourism and other economic sectors included in the tourism value chain in Croatia. The evaluation of total effects is important in order to evaluate effectiveness of policy measures introduced by Croatian government. Methodology – The estimation of COVID -19 effects on Croatian economy is based on standard input-output model. The open I-O model quantifies indirect effects generated in the tourism value added chain. Closed I-O model estimates induced effects related to the decrease in the net disposable income of the employees which participated in the tourism sector production chain. Findings – Strong reduction in international tourism caused by COVID -19 resulted in significant decrease in activity of many other industries. Besides hotels and restaurant, the most affected sectors were transport, trade, food industry, sports and entertainment services. Total value of indirect and induced tourism effects is bigger than value of direct effects in terms of employment and value added because of multiplier effect. Government subsidies in the form of income support for companies which retained employees have only short-term and limited effects. Negative COVID -19 effects were partially mitigated by output rise in other domestic sectors. GDP decline was more pronounced than GVA since indirect taxes, notably VAT and excise duties were particularly sensitive to negative trends in tourism activity. Contribution – The methodology applied provides the reliable analytical background for analyses of impact of negative exogenous shock affecting tourism and total Croatian economy and assessment of government policy response effectiveness

The rising demand for food and agricultural products encourages agricultural firms to innovate in both quantity and quality. The specific aim of this study is to investigate the innovation practices in food and agricultural firms. This study takes the case study method by using the cases of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) recipients engaged in food and agricultural products, namely Cargill Corn Milling (CCM) and Sunny Fresh Foods (SFF). The data is drawn mainly from Baldrige Application Summary, supplemented by other sources such as the company website as a compliment. This study suggests that innovation is strong in these two firms, both technologically and organizationally. It is indicated by the implementation of sophisticated technology such as automation and robotics and the implementation of organizational innovation in the form of i2i (ideas to innovation) R&D expertise in food products. This study offers important lessons learned on innovation for the agricultural firms to meet current demand while also developing the firm's capability to innovate.

It is a common knowledge that workers both in the public and private sector spends their wages on critical needs such as rent, school fees, food, transportation, recharge cards and healthcare (moller,2004). They are also predominantly expose to economic risk, natural risk, health risk, life cycle risks, policy based and institutional risks, social and political risk (Geneva, ILO-STEP). Various government including Nigeria, historically have been able to introduce some forms of ad-hoc interventions programmes such as mortgage rent reduction, reduction in taxes, cancellation or postponement of loan payment and other form of direct subsidies (Townsend, 1994). Majority of these measures are privileges and not “right” in most developing countries including Nigeria (Sigma, 2005; UNDP 2003). Practiced in almost all ancient and traditional societies, with debates for and against, among lawgivers and philosophers, Capital punishment, also known as death penalty, was a part of the Athenian Greek law code as early as the time of Draco during the 7th Century BC. The debates and controversies continue until date. Is it just, unjust or a false justice? As at the year 2018, according to Amnesty International,1 55 countries of modern civilized world retain death penalty while a certain number have completely abolished it. Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, in his Histories, record many instances of state sanctioned capital punishments. This paper, an attempt to accentuate the unjust nature of capital punishment and support its complete universal abolition, identifies three references to death penalty in Herodotus Book 1: combing, impaling and stoning. Book I of Herodotus was context analysed and interpreted with evidence from other relevant literary and historical sources. Arguments for death penalty include serving as deterrent to potential offenders and some sort of justice for the victims and family, especially in the case of murder; and the state, in the case of treason and other capital offences. Findings, however, revealed that capital punishment seldom curb potential criminals and might embittered and encouraged grievous crimes while discoveries of errors in judgment, among other reasons, could make death sentences unjust. The paper concluded by recommending prevention of such crimes necessitating capital punishments and proffered making greater efforts towards total abolition. Keywords: Capital punishment, Herodotus, Herodotus Histories, Justice, Death penalty.

In this work we estimate the amount of energy required to produce the food consumed in the United States in 2002 and 2007. Data from government sources and the scientific literature were used to calculate the energy intensity of food production from agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, food sales, storage and preparation. Most data were from 2002; consequently we scaled all data from other years to 2002 by using ratios of total energy consumption in 2002 to total energy consumption in the year data were reported. We concluded that food production required at least 7,880±733 trillion BTU in 2002 and 8,080±752 trillion BTU of energy in 2007, over a third of which came from food handling in homes, restaurants and grocery stores. The energy used to produce food represents approximately 8% of energy consumption. Our estimate is for the energy required to produce the food consumed in the United States and takes into account food imports and exports. To account for net food exports in the agriculture sector we calculated values for the energy intensity of ten food categories and then used the mass of domestic food consumption in each category to calculate the energy embedded in the food consumed in the United States. The amount of energy required to produce the food consumed in the United States has policy implications because it is a substantial fraction of total energy consumption and is responsible for a commensurate amount of greenhouse gas emissions. There are many opportunities for decreasing the energy intensity of food production at all steps of the food system. Education of the public and policy measures that promote energy efficiency in the food sector have the potential for decreasing food waste and the energy intensity of the food system.

Back to search Research programme: Research projects Project status: Completed Authors: Ipsos Date published: 2022-06-07 DOI: https://doi.org/10.46756/sci.fsa.pev512 There has been a steady increase in the use of community food providers over the last decade, and this has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The FSA’s Consumer Insights Tracker found that 15% of people (aged 16+) said they had used a food bank or food charity at least once in March 2022. This report explores the journey that food takes from suppliers to end consumers in the community food provision sector in the UK. The overall aim is to understand what support community providers might need in relation to food safety. This research was conducted as a small-scale exploratory piece of work aiming to address the following overarching objectives: How can we ensure that food from community providers is as safe as it should be? How can the FSA best support community providers to comply with food safety guidance?

This study was designed to get a broad estimate of the presence and the types of antimicrobial resistance genes across 52 simple ready-to-eat foods. It was also carried out to understand the benefits and drawbacks of using metagenomic sequencing, a fairly new technology, to study AMR genes. An antimicrobial is any substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms. It includes antibiotics which are used to treat bacterial infections in both humans and animals. Given the relevant selective pressures, the bacteria itself can change and find ways to survive the effects of an antimicrobials. This results in the bacteria becoming resistant to the ‘killing’ effects of antimicrobials and is known as ‘antimicrobial resistance’. The more we use antimicrobials and antibiotics and the way that we use them can increase the chance that bacteria will become resistant to antimicrobials. This is important as it can lead to infections that become more difficult to treat with drugs and poses a risk to the public health. T Addressing AMR is a national strategic priority for the UK Government which has led to the development of a new 20-year Vision for AMR and the 5-year National Action Plan (NAP), which runs until 2024. The NAP lays out how the UK will address the AMR challenge and takes a ‘One-Health’ approach which spans people, animals, agriculture, food and the environment. The NAP includes a specific section on the importance of better food safety to limit the contamination of foods and spread of AMR. This section emphasises the need to strengthen the evidence base for AMR and food safety through research, surveillance and promoting good practice across the food chain. The FSA is playing its part by continuing to fill evidence gaps on the role that food plays in AMR through the commissioning of research and surveillance. We are also promoting and improving UK food hygiene (‘4Cs’ messages) across the food chain that will help reduce exposure to AMR bacteria.

‘Regional food systems’ appears with increasing frequency in scholarly works and among food system practitioners. Yet regional food systems are understudied and undervalued. Much more attention to regionalism and regional food systems is necessary to create more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems for all. Building from the authors’ 2010 paper, “It takes a region… Exploring a regional food systems approach: A working paper,” this greatly expanded report explores the concepts, practices, challenges, and promise of regional food systems. The report’s focus is on the Northeast U.S., a laboratory for regional food systems thinking and action, but it also describes and gives examples of regional food systems development across the country. The arguments in favor of regional approaches and explorations apply to all regions and embracing them could not be more imperative to address contemporary conditions.

Preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in an effective and sustainable way will require forward-looking policy solutions that can address multiple objectives. This was true pre–COVID-19 and is even more true now. There are already examples from across the globe and within the United States that show how these may be possible. Although there are still many unknowns around how the design, targeting, level, sequencing, integration, and implementation of fiscal policies together can maximize their NCD prevention potential, there is already clear evidence that health taxes and particularly sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are cost-effective. Nonetheless, policies alone may not succeed. Political will to prioritize well-being, protections against industry interference, and public buy-in are necessary. If those elements align, pricing policies that consider the context in question can be designed and implemented to achieve several goals around reducing consumption of unhealthy SSBs and foods, narrowing existing nutritional and health disparities, encouraging economic and social development. The US and its local and state jurisdictions should consider these pricing policy issues and their contexts carefully, in collaboration with community partners and researchers, to design multi-duty actions and to be prepared for future windows of opportunities to open for policy passage and implementation.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.

In this paper, a novel mixed-integer programming model is developed to optimally assign the die sets to candidate plants to minimize the total costs. The total costs include freight shipping stamped parts to assembly plants, die set movement, outsourcing, and utilization. Therefore, the objective function is weighted multi-criteria and it takes into consideration some of the key constraints in the real-world condition including “must-move die sets”. An optimization tool has been developed that takes several inputs and feeds them as the input to the mathematical model and generates the optimal assignments with the directional costs as the output. The tool has been tested for several plants at Ford and has proved its robustness by saving millions of dollars. The developed tool can easily be applied to other manufacturing systems and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).