Public health responsibility deal

Citation

(2012), "Public health responsibility deal", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 42 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2012.01742daa.012

Public health responsibility deal

Article Type: Food facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 42, Issue 4

An audit of progress by Which? has found that the Government’s approach to tackling the barriers to healthy eating has been inadequate. Despite major food companies being asked to sign up to the Responsibility Deal to commit to displaying calorie information, reducing salt in foods and removing trans fats, there has not been enough action. Given the scale of the diet-related health problem, that costs the National Health Service more than £5 billion every year, Which? believes a radical change of approach and pace is required. Which? has found:

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  only two of the top ten restaurants and pub groups have agreed to provide calorie information with other big brands, such as Pizza Express, Ask, Café Rouge, Strada, Garfunkels, Beefeater and Prezzo, failing to sign up;

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  of the top five coffee shops, just Starbucks and Marks and Spencer – The Café have said they will display calories. Costa Coffee, the largest chain with over a thousand outlets, is still failing to commit to provide this information, as are its competitors Caffe Nero and Café Ritazza;

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  some good progress has been made on companies committing to reduce salt in their food, but many big name brands like Iceland, Findus, Princes and Birds Eye still have yet to pledge; and

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  while most major companies have removed trans fats from their products, there are still smaller take-aways and other caterers that aren’t signed up to the pledge.