Campaign Reply - Salt, Sugar and Fat in Food and Drink Products

The Government has committed to a salt reduction programme to reduce the consumption of salt and the associated health risks

 

Work is also ongoing to reduce levels of calories in savoury foods. These programmes cover all sectors of the food and drink industry – supermarkets, manufacturers and the many places we buy from, and eat at, out of the home.

The salt reduction programme sets out clear salt targets for 84 different food products that contribute the most to people’s salt intakes and are set to be achieved by 2024. There are also targets for maximum salt quantity per serving designed specifically for the hospitality, takeaway, and delivery sectors.

Average sugar reduction across all food categories currently stands at around 3.5 per cent. However, some individual product categories have delivered greater reductions, such as 14.9 per cent for breakfast cereals, 13.5 per cent for yogurts/fromage frais and 7.2 per cent for ice cream.

There has been clear progress in reducing the salt content of foods since salt targets were first set in 2006, such as a 20 per cent reduction in salt in bread. The latest analysis has shown that more progress needs to be made, particularly by the eating out of home sector.

As part of the Health and Care Act 2022, the Government legislated for further restrictions on TV and online advertising of less healthier food and drink products.  It is important that industry has time to prepare for these measures, so the Government has delayed their implementation until 1 October 2025.

I can assure you that addressing obesity remains a priority for the Government, with restrictions on the location and promotion of products high in fat, salt or sugar currently in force. Restaurants, cafes and takeaways are also now required to list calories for food on menus. 

 

Thank you again for contacting me.