The second part of Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy report has recommended a tax on salt and sugar, less meat consumption and that GPs should seriously consider prescribing vegetables to encourage healthier eating.
The report, commissioned by the Government in 2019, sets out recommendations to build what it says could be an improved food system for a healthier nation. The plan includes the following changes to the national diet by 2032 (compared to 2019):
- 30% less meat
- 30% more fruit and vegetables
- 50% more fibre
- 25% less foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugar
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has warned that food prices could increase and that obesity in the UK is about food but also affordability. FDF’s chief scientific officer, Kate Halliwell, said: “This report will help inform the wider conversation around the future of the UK’s food and drink industry. Food and drink manufacturers welcome the intent to bring forward measures which will help to increase access and affordability of food and drink for children and families on lower incomes.
“In contrast to this, a salt and sugar tax will ultimately impact those families who are already struggling to make ends meet, by making food and drink more expensive. After many years of cost pressures, businesses in our sector are already operating on very tight margins, and any further costs would simply have to be passed on to the consumer in the form of higher food prices.”
Halliwell warned: “These taxes will not drive reformulation. Food and drink manufacturers have been voluntarily lowering fat, salt and sugars in recipes for decades as well as reducing portion size, but it takes time to change much-loved products. Furthermore, the Government’s proposed advertising ban and promotions restrictions would limit the ways in which companies can let families know about exciting new options.
“It is hard to view the proposals that the taxes raised will pay for additional health plans with anything but scepticism. The same promise was made ahead of the introduction of the soft drinks industry levy, but was quietly dropped shortly afterwards.
“We look forward to contributing our own ideas to Defra, including via the Food and Drink Sector Council report due in September. We also look forward to seeing the Government’s White Paper in six months’ time which will have considered a wide range of inputs.”
“Sceptical” about public reaction
FMT columnist and CEO of the British Frozen Food Federation, Richard Harrow said: “It will be interesting to see how many of the recommendations are adopted in the Government’s promised White Paper and if the views of the food industry are considered. At the start of the pandemic the Johnson administration recognised the importance of our industry and listened to our concerns and suggestions. As things have started to return to normal, they have returned to their old approach of largely ignoring many of the industry’s concerns.
“From the pre-launch briefing I have seen I am concerned that it does not take into account what the consumer wants. Rather, it appears to be taking the stance of knowing what’s best for them, and I am sceptical about how this approach will be received by the public. I can only hope that government will make good on its aim to meet carbon reduction targets through green technologies while maintaining people’s freedom of choice.
“I am also concerned that the proposed introduction of a 6% salt tax reported in The Observer threatens to put increased pressure on food businesses who are already struggling to get back on their feet after lockdown. Many are dealing with crippling staff shortages and the costs of reformulation are a burden many are simply unable to shoulder. We are already world leaders in salt reduction and there are many examples around the world that show taxing food does little to change consumers’ buying habits.
“The UK Soft Drinks levy is an exception, although there was already evidence that consumers were switching to lower sugar alternatives before the tax came in. My concern is that politicians will be inclined to back the recommendation, and it will be interesting to see if this measure makes its way into legislation.”
“A wake-up call for us all”
NFU president Minette Batters said: “This food strategy should act as a wake-up call for us all that we need to value the food we eat. We need to put balance back in our diet and have a renewed emphasis on eating natural, whole foods; the kind British farmers produce in abundance. I agree that we should be supporting everyone to eat more fruit and veg, something our farmers can support by growing more, and there should be more focus on educating our children about valuing and understanding the food they eat and how it has been produced.
“However, it is important that we do not throw meat into one blanket category and that we all make a clear distinction between grass-fed British meat and cheap imports. We should be considering British meat in its own category, recognising its sustainability and dense nutritional value. After all, scientific and medical communities agree it is a key part of a healthy, balanced diet, chock full of essential vitamins and minerals. This strategy says major reform is needed of the food system. I would suggest we first look at the actions our government is taking by agreeing to trade deals that welcomes in imported meat in limitless amounts.
“This underlines the importance of domestic, high-quality, traceable food production for the nation’s health and wellbeing and the importance of demonstrating global leadership in this area. This is only something we can do if we all get behind a viable British farming industry. It will never be achieved by exporting our food production more and more to countries which don’t adhere to the same values or production methods.”
Helen Munday, president of IFST, commented: “Unprecedented change in the food system, resulting from EU Exit and COVID-19, has shown how important a resilient UK food system is. IFST members are the technical professionals who daily deliver safe and nutritious food. We are passionate about applying the latest science and technology to strengthen and improve our UK food system. Without an inclusive UK-wide food strategy with long-term goals and a global view, we will not leverage technological opportunities to improve and develop UK food to be fit for the future.
“IFST’s vision highlights the need for investment in innovation, its implementation and the skills needed to deliver more sustainable products and processes. Providing our citizens with a greater understanding of food and diet will empower them to make informed food choices, build trust and open dialogues around new technologies.”
Meat question will spark debate
Soil Association CEO Helen Browning said: “Among the most important recommendations in the strategy are those related to the food served in public settings, such as schools and hospitals. The strategy recognises the pioneering role the Soil Association’s ‘Food for Life’ programme has played in this regard and recommends changes that would put healthier and more sustainable ingredients on the plate, including British and higher welfare meat.
“The meat question will spark debate, but the evidence is clear that dietary change will be needed to enable more nature-friendly farming. The wider uptake of agroecology, as recommended in the strategy, would see livestock, and particularly ruminants, reintroduced into rotations and animals playing an important role on the land, but our diets must adapt for such an approach to be viable.
“We will need to eat much less industrially farmed meat, which can drive deforestation and land use change through its reliance on imported feed crops, and ensure that the meat we do eat is produced in regenerative systems that support biodiversity. The debate in farming shouldn’t be about whether this is so, but about how to make this transformation quickly and fairly, for both farmers and citizens.
“The strategy also positions ultra-processed foods as the new frontier in the battle against obesity and chronic disease. The proposed tax on salt and sugar is hugely important and should be enacted by the Government, but we would urge further action more squarely targeting ultra-processed foods. The French Government has introduced a percentage reduction target for ultra-processed foods in the diet, and we should be introducing a similar target in England.
“The recommendations of the National Food Strategy offer genuine hope that by embracing agroecological and organic farming, and adopting a healthier and more sustainable diet, we can address the climate, nature and health crises. It is now critical that the Government implements the strategy, ensuring that farmers are in the vanguard of this good food revolution. We look forward to working with the national food strategy team and with the Government to this end.”
