ABSTRACT
Compared with many of the other industries examined in this book food processing is a part of the UK economy whose characteristics and problems have received very little academic study until recent years. The dearth of published material on both food processing companies and products is the more surprising given the inevitable political interest in the availability and price of processed foods. However, there are now clear signs of a growing interest by agricultural economists in the UK in the economics of food beyond the farm gate. Furthermore, diet, nutrition and health considerations regarding food are giving the sector increased attention in the media. Indeed the transformation of agricultural raw materials into processed foodstuffs is now an area of considerable concern amongst consumer organizations and pressure groups.
