Food companies told to act on salt levels
Health Minister Melanie Johnson has told food companies that they must take more drastic action to reduce the level of salt in processed food.
In an open letter to some of the biggest food companies, including Nestle, Heinz, McDonalds, Cadbury Schweppes, and the major supermarkets the Minister said that efforts so far have been “disappointing” and “short on detail”.
Ms Johnson has previously written to all of the companies and industry groups asking them for details of how they plan to cut salt in food.
Responding to the plans, she said: “From the plans submitted around 50 per cent of the products such as pizzas, sandwiches and ready meals will continue to contain unacceptably high levels of salt.”
“Our analysis indicates that the current plans would lead to a disappointingly low average reduction of 0.6g/day by 2005. I believe that there is scope for greater reductions. So much more concerted action is needed if we are to meet our aim to reduce the population average intake to 6g/day.”
Ms Johnston said she expected the plans to be significantly improved by 18th September, though she did not spell out what action would be taken after this date if plans were not to her satisfaction.
The news of the letter appears to have come of surprise to a number of industry bodies.
Only yesterday the Food and Drink Federation issued a press release stating the industry has made “huge strides” in reducing salt.
It believes that salt levels should be reduced gradually, arguing “a reduced salt product which is left on the shelf by consumers or to which they add salt at the table, will not benefit anyone.”
This approach was sharply discounted by the Minister. She said: “What is needed are commitments across the board for key product categories such as pizza, breakfast cereals, sandwiches and ready meals to ensure that we reach the reduction in salt intakes from processed foods.”
“I would like to see across the board reductions in all products that contribute significantly to salt intakes with a planned programme of steps to achieve them over the next two to three years. It seems to me that targeting particular product categories in different years will make it more difficult for consumer tastes to adjust.”
Today, a number of industry bodies retaliated with an open letter to Secretary of State for Health John Reid.
The letter, signed by representatives of the British Retail Consortium, the British Hospitality Association, the Food and Drink Federation and the National Farmers Union, deplored “inept political spin which has nothing to do with real attempts to improve the nation’s health”.
They said “We are astounded at the misleading suggestions of lack of cooperation with Government and lack of progress on salt reduction in processed foods. This is simply not the case.”
“Over the last two years our industries have worked closely and constructively with the Food Standards Agency and latterly with the Department of Health, both on a sector and individual company basis to produce both plans for and actual, substantial salt reductions.”
“We had in fact, hoped to explore these and other issues with your Minister for Public Health last Tuesday 15 June following a meeting with her earlier this month. That the Minister cancelled is unfortunate.”
