Which? Calls for UK Government to Do More for Public Health

In the next six months, Which? is calling for the Government to demand that all food companies use traffic light nutrition labelling: this approach works best, is preferred and enables people to see what they are buying. Establish 2014 salt reduction targets: there has been progress made on salt, but further reductions are needed and more sign up - particularly from caterers.

19 Mar 2012 --- A new Which? survey shows that people don’t think the Government is doing enough for public health. Just 28 per cent of people are satisfied that it is taking enough action to help people eat healthily. One year on from the launch of the Responsibility Deal, Which? does not believe that the current approach is good enough to tackle the challenges we are facing. They believe there has to be a radical change of pace that tackles the barriers to healthier eating in a more meaningful way.

In the next six months, Which? is calling for the Government to:

•  Demand that all food companies use traffic light nutrition labelling: this approach works best, is preferred and enables people to see what they are buying.

•  Establish 2014 salt reduction targets: there has been progress made on salt, but further reductions are needed and more sign up - particularly from caterers.

•  Introduce a robust pledge for sugar and fat reductions: the calorie reduction pledge is vague and should focus on products that contribute most fat and sugar.

•  Make saturated fat a priority: given the rate of heart disease in the UK, incentives for saturated fat reductions and timelines for meeting them are needed

•  Ban artificial trans fats: there has been a lot of voluntary action but it’s time to finish off the job and ensure trans fats are removed from all foods.

•  Require calorie labelling in chain restaurants: if calories aren’t displayed voluntarily in chain restaurants by September 2012, the Government must legislate.

•  Put pressure on companies to be responsible in their promotions: commitments are needed to ensure that products high in fat, sugar and salt are not actively and aggressively promoted to children and that price promotions are balanced.

•  Improve food in public institutions: standards are needed to improve food across public institutions, including hospitals.

They also want to see the responsibilities for nutrition and food labelling put back in the Food Standards Agency to ensure that policy is independent, open and joined up with other food issues.

In March 2011, the Government launched a Public Health Responsibility Deal for England “to tap into the potential for businesses and other organisations to improve public health and tackle health inequalities.” The Deal focuses on developing voluntary pledges to act. Prior to the Responsibility Deal, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) had responsibility for nutrition policy. The FSA works at arm’s length from government, has a specific remit to put consumers first and agrees its approach in open Board meetings. Issues that it was taking forward included work on salt reduction, saturated fat reduction, calorie labelling in restaurants and a front of pack traffic light labelling scheme. Its responsibilities for nutrition issues in England moved to the Department of Health in October 2010 and the Responsibility Deal became the main means of achieving change on these issues.

The Responsibility Deal is wider than food with networks also looking at alcohol, physical activity, workplace health and behavioural change in general. A Steering Group comprised of the main food industry trade associations and their members, as well as health charities and Which?, is involved during the development of the food pledges. Despite the membership, the nature of the Deal means that the focus is on drafting pledges that food companies will be willing to sign up to. Issues are dealt with one by one, rather than as part of a more comprehensive strategy that tackles the main barriers to healthier eating.