UK food system ‘relentlessly’ pushing consumers to unhealthy choices – report

The food environment, including the products advertised to consumers, restaurant menus and the promotions offered in supermarkets, is shaping diets and “setting us up to fail”, the Food Foundation charity said.

Its annual State of the Nation’s Food Industry report cites research from 2022 by the University of Liverpool that found just five companies – Haribo, Mars, Mondelez, PepsiCo and Kellogg’s – were responsible for more than 80% of TV ads for snacks and confectionery aired before 9pm.

In September, the Government confirmed that a ban on junk food adverts being shown on TV before 9pm will come into force on October 1 next year, although there are already well-established restrictions that prohibit such ads from appearing on dedicated children’s channels or around children’s programmes.

The Food Foundation’s report also claims that almost a third (30%) of major UK restaurant chains serve main meals where more than half of the options are “concerningly high” in salt, and that almost one in five supermarket multibuy offers are on meat and dairy products, with half of these offers on processed meat.

It said there was a “clear lack of accountability”, with food industry giants failing to set targets or report on their company’s health credentials.

The report includes data from the charity’s Plating Up Progress research, which monitors 36 major UK food businesses’ disclosure of transparent data on targets to support the sale of more healthy and sustainable food.

It found that just one in four major UK food businesses disclose data on the healthiness of their sales, with restaurant chains and fast-food outlets the least transparent sector by some way, having made no progress since last year on setting targets to improve the healthiness of menus.

The Food Foundation said food industry representatives and their trade associations met with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ministers a total of 1,377 times between 2020 and 2023 – more than 40 times more meetings than those held between food non-governmental organisations and Defra ministers.

The charity said it analysed data from across an array of sources to build up a picture of the UK’s food system.

Last month, peers said companies should be fined for failing to follow rules aimed at cutting sales of unhealthy food to tackle the “public health emergency” posed by obesity.

Businesses would be required to report on their progress towards targets for the reduction of sugar and salt and face penalties for non-compliance under proposals by the Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee.

The charity is calling on the Government to introduce mandatory reporting by all large food businesses on both the healthiness and sustainability of their sales.

Rebecca Tobi, from the Food Foundation, said: “This year’s State of the Nation’s Food Industry report demonstrates the huge impact food businesses have in shaping the food we eat – and how the current system is setting us up to fail.

“It’s not right that the most affordable, appealing and convenient options are often the unhealthiest ones.

“We urgently need the Government to introduce regulation to raise standards and create a level playing field that enables progressive businesses to go further, faster.

“If we are to have any chance of ensuring the next generation are the healthiest ever – as Labour have pledged – then we simply can’t continue to ignore the major role large food companies are playing in shaping UK diets.

“We need regulation to ensure proper safeguards are in place to make sure businesses act responsibly, supporting people and planet as well as profit.”

Baroness Walmsley, chairwoman of the Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee, said: “When people are swimming against a tide of availability and advertising of unhealthy food, it is not helpful to tell them to swim harder.

“This report shows just how far the industry needs to move to support everyone to eat well, and the calls to action repeat many of those in the Lords committee’s report.

“The Government should act now to develop a long-term strategy to fix our food system, underpinned by a new legislative framework.

“Without it, businesses have insufficient incentive to act in the public interest and will continue to cause harm with their relentless promotion of junk food.”

A Food and Drink Federation (FDF) spokeswoman said: “Food and drink manufacturers take the issue of obesity and poor diets really seriously and know that we have a key role to play in addressing this.

“Companies have made significant progress to create healthier options for shoppers, based on Government guidelines and the high fat, salt and sugar regulations.

“Thanks to substantial investment, FDF members’ products now contribute far fewer calories, salt and sugar to the British grocery market than they did in 2015.

“Our industry adheres to all advertising rules, including those which restrict the advertising of less healthy food around children’s media.

“Companies are also preparing for further regulations that come into effect in October 2025.

“We’re calling for Government and regulators to move swiftly to publish the regulations and industry guidance so that we have sufficient time to prepare.”

A spokeswoman for Mars said: “As the company behind some of the UK’s best-loved brands, we understand the responsibility we have to help our consumers enjoy our products as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

“A key part of this is our commitment to young people.

“Since launching our Responsible Marketing Code in 2007 we have ensured that all Mars marketing meets UK advertising requirements, as well as our own industry-leading Global Marketing standards.

“Our Q3 2022 audit results for UK TV show that we were 99.2% compliant with our audience threshold commitment.

“Through ongoing innovation and reformulation, we’re focused on offering a growing range of healthier and delicious options across our iconic brands.

“From our non-HFSS ‘Fruit & Nut’ range, high in fibre, fruit and nuts, to reduced salt content and increased fibre servings across our Food and Nutrition portfolio, we’re dedicated to helping people make responsible choices.”