Leading manufacturers warned the industry it must take a united stance on health issues, or face a new wave of legal restrictions.
IGD president and Tate & Lyle chief executive Iain Ferguson said: “The politics of health and obesity is high on the agenda.”
He said consumers were bombarded by newspaper articles advising them to avoid many of the industry’s products.
But he insisted there was no shortage of healthy foods on the shelves of supermarkets.
He said research showed consumers wanted better labelling and added: “We need to combat negative press sentiment and continue to play a part in ensuring people have a healthy diet.”
Unilever chairman Niall FitzGerald said: “The food and health debate requires an
industry response”. And he warned of “the long-term threat of unnecessary regulation”.
However, he also accused some retailers of failing to back an alliance of food companies trying to reduce salt content in their products.
Companies such as Heinz, Campbell and Masterfoods, in addition to his own, were reducing salt content in their food by 10% this year and,
depending on consumer response, were planning to cut it a further 10% next year.
He said: “It has proved less easy to bring some retailers into this coalition, despite the clear evidence of the importance of this issue to the FSA and the government. As an industry we have taken a lead on this kind of issue. It is important to the long-term health of our nation, and the consumers we serve.”
John Wood
IGD president and Tate & Lyle chief executive Iain Ferguson said: “The politics of health and obesity is high on the agenda.”
He said consumers were bombarded by newspaper articles advising them to avoid many of the industry’s products.
But he insisted there was no shortage of healthy foods on the shelves of supermarkets.
He said research showed consumers wanted better labelling and added: “We need to combat negative press sentiment and continue to play a part in ensuring people have a healthy diet.”
Unilever chairman Niall FitzGerald said: “The food and health debate requires an
industry response”. And he warned of “the long-term threat of unnecessary regulation”.
However, he also accused some retailers of failing to back an alliance of food companies trying to reduce salt content in their products.
Companies such as Heinz, Campbell and Masterfoods, in addition to his own, were reducing salt content in their food by 10% this year and,
depending on consumer response, were planning to cut it a further 10% next year.
He said: “It has proved less easy to bring some retailers into this coalition, despite the clear evidence of the importance of this issue to the FSA and the government. As an industry we have taken a lead on this kind of issue. It is important to the long-term health of our nation, and the consumers we serve.”
John Wood
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