A new investigation by the Soil Association reveals that food manufacturers have prevented the government from encouraging shops to offer discounts on healthy foods.
The charity obtained emails through Freedom of Information requests showing that the government dropped plans to promote “minimally processed and nutritious foods” after heavy lobbying by the food industry.
The Department of Health and Social Care had planned to urge retailers to focus price promotions on minimally processed foods. These include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains like rice and pasta, and unprocessed meat.
However, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents major companies such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, Unilever, Mars, Cadbury, and PepsiCo, demanded the removal of this guidance. They described promoting minimally processed foods as a “real bone of contention.”
Cathy Cliff, campaigns coordinator at the Soil Association, said the move benefits manufacturers of ultra-processed foods more than consumers’ health. She added, “The World Health Organization says healthy diets are based on unprocessed and minimally processed foods. We are concerned the UK Government has been stopped from saying the same. It looks like corporate profits are being put before public health.”
In response, the Soil Association and several leading health groups sent an open letter to the health secretary, Wes Streeting. They demand urgent action to make healthy foods more accessible and affordable. The letter was signed by organizations including the Obesity Health Alliance, the British Dietetics Association, and the Association of Directors of Public Health.
New government rules will ban multi-buy offers on foods high in fat, sugar, and salt starting October. Draft guidance encouraged retailers to promote minimally processed foods instead. The Soil Association says this could have helped reduce ultra-processed foods in diets.
But after months of industry lobbying, the guidance was changed. It now promotes “healthier options,” which includes many ultra-processed foods like energy drinks, crisps, cereal bars, pizzas, and ice cream.
Emails from the FDF to officials questioned if minimally processed foods are truly more nutritious. The FDF said, “the science does not support” this idea.
Cliff called this claim “ludicrous” and criticized the guidance for labeling highly processed foods as healthier options. She said this flawed advice allows ultra-processed foods to remain dominant, missing an opportunity to make fresh foods more affordable.
Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance and a signatory of the letter, said governments have long trusted the food industry despite public skepticism. She noted that companies making unhealthy processed foods have influenced policies meant to reduce harm.
An FDF spokesperson told Talking Retail that they regularly engage with the government on regulations related to nutrition and food safety. They said their request was to align government guidance with existing legislation. They expressed concern that mentioning food processing in the guidance, which is not covered by law, could confuse retailers.
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