“Ready meal crisis”: UK health group renews calls for tougher government action on salt reduction after new study

One in five ready meals are “unacceptably high in salt, fat, and saturated fat,” warns a new product survey from Action on Salt (AoS). To mark Salt Awareness Week (May 12-18), AoS urges the UK government to end voluntary salt reformulation and enforce stricter regulations over how much sodium content can be in products.

The new research finds that supermarkets and food companies are selling “worryingly salty” ready meals. This has prompted AoS, based at Queen Mary University of London, to call on the government to do more to improve the nutritional quality of foods.

An open letter, calling for more robust action has been co-signed by 28 leading experts and major health charities, and sent to the minister for Public Health & Prevention, Ashley Dalton MP.

Sonia Pombo, head of impact and research at Action on Salt, tells Food Ingredients First the group is demanding action on four central areas: 

“Revitalization of the national salt reduction program as a public health priority; immediate review of the outdated 2024 salt reduction targets; setting new, stricter, mandatory salt targets with financial penalties on food businesses for non-compliance; and considering fiscal levers to incentivise reformulation.” 

Salt content in ready meals

AoS analyzed 1,511 ready meals sold across 11 major retailers. It found that 56% are high in salt, 42% high in saturated fat, and 71% low in fiber. The majority of ready meals surveyed were meat-based, with 589 meals (39%) either beef, pork, or lamb. This was followed by poultry at 516 meals (34%). 

Only 11% were vegetarian (172) and 6% were vegan. AoS notes that vegan meals had a more favorable nutrition profile overall, averaging the lowest energy, fat, saturated fat, and salt content, and the highest fiber content per serve.

Nearly 56% of the ready meals surveyed were high in salt, 42% high in saturated fat, and 71% low in fiber.The survey found that only 7% of ready meals were classified as low in salt. Supermarket own-brands made up 76% of the ready meals surveyed, and they show that some of the most worrying results came from the budget retailers, according to AoS.

Survey results show that 86% of Iceland’s offered ready meals are high in salt, Aldi (70%), Lidl (64%), Marks & Spencer (54%), Sainsbury’s (54%), and Morrisons (40%). 

Health risks

Earlier this year, the WHO recommended choosing potassium salt to lower sodium intake and cut disease risk. 

According to Public Health England, ready meals are one of the top three contributors to salt intake in the UK diet. Britain’s daily salt consumption recommendations are no more than 6g a day. But AoS claims people consume on average 8.4g a day.

Consuming too much salt can be associated with raised blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is also linked to an increased risk of overweight and obesity.

Pombo says that the industry must take initiative in changing product formulations: “This can simply be by gradually reducing the amount of salt food producers add to their products, allowing consumers’ taste buds to adjust so that the changes go relatively unnoticed.” 

“Another way is to use alternative ingredients, such as spices and herbs, meaning there is less of a need for salt as a flavor enhancer. For more challenging food categories that require salt for functional or safety purposes, there are a number of lower-sodium salt alternatives that food companies can explore, with some even offering custom blends to fit the industry’s needs.” 

Consumers want healthier options

Action on Salt also recently commissioned a national poll to reveal strong consumer concern about salt levels in ready meals. Almost half (42.5%) of UK shoppers said they would avoid purchasing a ready meal if they knew it contained more than half of their recommended daily salt intake. 

Excess salt in food is directly linked to raised blood pressure.Seventy-six percent believe food companies should be doing much more to reduce the amount of salt in the products they sell, while 80% of consumers support stronger government action to ensure food is made healthier and lower in salt.

Dr Pauline Swift, chair of Blood Pressure UK, says this new survey is a stark wake-up call as excess salt in food is directly linked to raised blood pressure, the biggest risk factor for strokes, heart disease, and kidney disease.

“Given it is estimated that around 4.2 million adults in England are living with undiagnosed high blood pressure, the government must act now to enforce stronger salt reduction targets and protect public health before even more lives are needlessly lost,” she says. 

Bryan Williams, chief medical and scientific officer at the British Heart Foundation adds, “This concerning data shows it is not always straightforward for people to find ready meals which are low in salt.”

“Food companies must do more to reduce salt in their products, so that healthy options are more easily available. We also need to see the Government create stronger incentives, which will ensure the food industry reduces salt levels in food, so that more people can live healthier, longer lives.”