Obesity crackdown: Pending UK policy will see all big food businesses report on healthy food sales

The UK government plans to set new food standards that will see big businesses promoting healthier F&B and reporting on healthy food sales.

In a bid to alleviate the burden on the NHS, the UK government is soon to publish a 10-Year Health Plan centered on shifting the country’s health policy from “sickness to prevention.”

According to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), food retailers and manufacturers will “make the healthy choice the easy choice” in a first-of-its-kind partnership between the government and industry to tackle the obesity epidemic.

Holding food retailers accountable

The idea is for large food retailers, including supermarkets, to set a new standard to make the average shopping basket of goods sold slightly healthier.

DHSC points out that many food retailers “want to do more to make the average shopping basket healthier, but have been held back because they risk changes hitting their bottom lines if their competitors don’t act at the same time.”

The new standard will introduce a level playing field to avoid a first-mover disadvantage.

However, this is a voluntary initiative, and businesses will be free to meet the standard “however works best for them.” 

That could include reformulating products and changing recipes. It could also mean changing shop layouts, offering discounts on healthy foods, or changing loyalty schemes to promote healthier options.

The government says this food strategy will bring together the health plan, food producers, and retailers to ensure there are more healthy options available to UK consumers while growing the food sector.

Although the finer details of the 10-year plan are still being worked out, the policy encourages transparency and accountability around the food that businesses are selling and encourages healthier products. Larger food businesses will report on healthy food sales. 

Targets from the government will then follow, and DHSC will work with the Food Strategy Advisory Board on the sequencing of this policy. 

What do the supermarkets say?

Ken Murphy, Tesco Group CEO, agrees that all food businesses have a critical role to play in providing good quality, affordable, and healthy food. 

“We have measured and published our own healthier food sales for a number of years now. We believe it is key to more evidence-led policy and better-targeted health interventions. That’s why we have called for mandatory reporting for all supermarkets and major food businesses and why we welcome the Government’s announcement on this.” 

Some health experts believe the government has identified the root cause of obesity-related ill health: a food system that makes healthy eating difficult.“We look forward to working with them on the details of the Healthy Food Standard and its implementation by all relevant food businesses.” 

Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury’s, says this announcement is a positive step forward in helping people eat better in Britain. 

Meanwhile, Sue Davies, head of food policy at Which?, points to research that shows people want retailers to do more to support them in making healthier choices. Six in ten (60%) of consumers said they support the government introducing health targets for supermarkets.  

“Mandatory food targets will help to incentivize retailers to use the range of tactics available to them to make small but significant changes, making it easier for people to eat a balanced diet and lead healthier lives,” he says. 

Reducing calories 

The DHSC notes that cutting the daily calorie count by just 50 calories would lift 340,000 children and two million adults out of obesity. Obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, including among children, and Britain now has the third highest rate of adult obesity in Europe.

A forthcoming report by the UK’s Chief Medical Officer will show that more than one-fifth of children are living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, rising to almost one-third in areas with higher levels of poverty and deprivation.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting says: “Unless we curb the rising tide of cost and demand, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable. The good news is that it only takes a small change to make a big difference. If everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by around 200 calories a day — the equivalent of a bottle of fizzy drink — obesity would be halved.   

“Our brilliant supermarkets already do so much work for our communities and are trying to make their stores healthier, and we want to work with them and other businesses to create a level playing field.” 

“Through our new healthy food standard, we will make the healthy choice the easy choice because prevention is better than cure.” 

Health experts react

The Obesity Health Alliance (OHA) applauds the government for planning a new, mandatory healthy food standard, reporting data, and setting health targets. 

It says that setting mandatory health targets for businesses would incentivize them to stock, promote, and reformulate healthier foods. 

Katharine Jenner, director of the OHA, says: “This is a fair and evidence-based prescription for better health; businesses urgently need the government to level the playing field to help them focus on selling products that help people live well.” 

“The government has rightly identified the root cause of obesity-related ill health: a food system that makes healthy eating difficult. Crucially, it puts the spotlight on the food industry and commits to holding it accountable for providing healthier options, rather than placing the burden on individuals who are already struggling to get by.”

John Maingay, director of policy at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), says: “A new standard to make shopping baskets across the UK healthier is a huge step towards creating a food environment that supports better heart health. This move recognizes the vital role that businesses can play in supporting everyone to have a healthier diet.” 

 “Obesity puts people at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which remains one of the UK’s biggest killers. We hope to see real momentum behind this new standard to make the healthier choice the easiest choice once and for all.” 

Meanwhile, the Food Foundation says the introduction of mandatory reporting by all large food companies, including takeaway chains, on the healthiness of their food sales is a “game changer.”

“This simple act of transparency delivers the opportunity for systemic change, informing better policy design and triggering boardroom conversations. The data will also clearly reveal to consumers which businesses are on their side and making healthy choices easy, and which are making it actively harder for them to eat well. The faster this is introduced, the better,” says executive director Anna Taylor.