Sunday, May 18, 2025
Are the lobbyists taking over again?
The paper says that ahead of new regulations banning junk food promotions from October, the Department of Health and Social Care issued advice to thousands of shops, supermarkets, online retailers and other businesses to help them comply with the law, but the healthy food push was dropped after the Food and Drink Federation, which represents corporations including Nestlé, Mondelēz, Coca-Cola, Mars and Unilever repeatedly demanded the government ditch it:
The guidance said: “The aim of this policy is to shift the balance of promotions towards healthier options – such as minimally processed and nutritious food.” This might include, for example, two-for-one deals, discounts or extra loyalty points on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fresh meat and fish.
Promotions on minimally processed and nutritious food would be gamechanging, making it more affordable for families and improving the diets of millions.
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Now the new regulations coming into force in England still limit the promotion of food and drink that is high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS), but guidance issued to retailers no longer urges them to switch their deals to minimally processed and nutritious food.
Instead, it simply encourages promotions of “healthier options”. Experts say this is “flawed” advice because many ultra-processed foods still meet the definition of “healthier”, including some energy drinks, crisps, snacks, cereal bars, pizzas, burgers and ice-creams.
The U-turn, revealed for the first time, occurred on 1 June 2023 under Rishi Sunak’s government, the Guardian found. The change remains in the current government’s guidance being issued to retailers ahead of the law change in October.
It came after the FDF waged a campaign to put pressure on the DHSC to rewrite its nutrition policy, lobbying officials to remove the push to minimally processed food in the guidance issued to retailers, according to documents and emails reviewed by the Guardian.
In response to a freedom of information request, the government released a cache of emails between the FDF and the DHSC.
Most of the correspondence was heavily redacted. The government cited section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, “which provides for the protection of personal information”, and section 35(1)(a), “which provides protection for the information that relates to the formulation or development of government policy”.
The emails, sent between October 2022 and April 2023, reveal how the FDF, which represents firms with a combined annual turnover of more than £112bn, lobbied the DHSC to drop the guidance pushing retailers to promote minimally processed food.
Although these lobbyists got their own way under the previous Tory government, the fact that Labour ministers didn't reverse the decision must cast doubt about their commitment to the promotion of healthy food.
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One way I use to eat less processed food is to look at the ingredients. The fewer mentioned the less processed the food. Another, prepacked salad.Both indicate the kcal of a portion. A publicity campaign (say by LIBDEMS) refering to better eating habits can educate people towards looking at this simple way to see how much processing is carried out.
Healthier people will cost the NHS less. A govnt that is determined to succeed would tell the lobbyists where to go
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Healthier people will cost the NHS less. A govnt that is determined to succeed would tell the lobbyists where to go
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