A report from London’s City University has censured the food industry for a lack of action on health related issues.
The university’s document entitled The Food Industry: Diet, Physical Activity and Health, surveyed the world’s top 25 food companies, including retailers, manufacturers and fast food groups, to gauge their compliance with nutritional guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In particular, the WHO’s recommendations centre around tackling a worldwide epidemic of obesity, particularly in children.
They also examine a range of other food-related ailments brought about by such additives and ingredients as salt, sugar fat and trans fats, including heart disease and cancer.
Of the 25 companies, only six had put in place any initiatives, or made statements about, children’s diet, while just ten had addressed salt levels.
Two had adjusted portion size, while five had taken steps on sugar. Trans fats had been examined by just eight, while four had stated policies on food advertisers.
Some performed better than others: McDonald’s was the only fast food company to have addressed portion size, for example.
But only Unilever was seen to have taken any laudable action, acting in anticipation of health trends, rather than reacting with the knee-jerk, short term fixes of its competition, the report said.
The report team said: “The research is the first attempt to monitor whether and how these powerful companies are reporting on their impact on diet and health. We set out to shine a light on what these mostly publicly quoted companies are doing, or report they are doing. Our findings are worrying. There is a pretty poor overall picture, with too many companies appearing not to care a jot.”
It added: “Companies should be wary about doing the minimum or presenting a few hurried initiatives in self-promotional terms. A luke-warm response from food companies to the enormity of the public health evidence amassed by the WHO and researchers risks engendering some cynicism. Company actions must move from being purely defensive or centred on obviating threats to their reputations.”
However, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) hit back, claiming that £7.4bn worth of food and drink products in 2005 had lower salt levels than they did in 2004, and that £2.2bn worth had less fat.
It also said that its Food and Health Manifesto and its 2004 Food Commitments Report were clear indication of the industry’s willingness to reform regarding ingredients and nutrition overall.
It said: “If the report’s authors want the food and drink manufacturing industry to take more action on food and health, they are pushing at an open door.”
The British Retail Consortium was keen to point out the global nature of the report, and saying that the research did not reflect efforts made by UK manufacturers and retailers.
Its Food Policy Director Andrew Opie added: “UK retailers are doing a huge amount on this issue and are fully engaged in the debate on obesity and healthy eating at all levels.
“Retailers’ efforts are already being reflected in changes in consumption but there is still a long way to go. It needs everyone, including manufacturers and government, to work together to help bring about a major cultural change amongst UK consumers.”
The companies surveyed were: ConAgra, Danone, Kraft, Cadbury Schweppes, Nestlé, Masterfoods/Mars, Tyson, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Ahold, Tesco, Metro, Rewe, WalMart, Carrefour, Ito-Yokado, Aldi, Schwarz, Kroger, McDonald’s, Yum!, Burger King, Sodexho and Compass.
