Shoppers' Baskets Contain A Third Less Salt Than In 2015, New Research Shows

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Food and drink manufacturers have cut salt by a third, and sugar and calories by a quarter in a typical shopping basket since 2015, reveals a study.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) member firms have now cut 33% of salt, 25% less sugar, and 24% fewer calories in the British grocery market compared to six years ago, based on data from Kantar Worldpanel. The FDF is urging the government to ramp up support for reformulation efforts, especially for smaller food companies, which it claims receive only a ⁘fraction of what's available to industries like aerospace or automotive manufacturing⁘.

In 2023 alone, over £160m was poured into research and development of healthier products, including tweaking recipes, crafting new, healthier options, and adjusting portion sizes. This push for reformulation aligns with the UK's gradual roll-out of new laws targeting foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) as part of a wider campaign to fight obesity and boost public health.

Kate Halliwell, FDF chief scientific officer, commented: ⁘Creating delicious and nutritious food and drink is no easy task it takes time, investment and technical expertise. We're proud to see the continued and significant advances made by our industry to offer healthier options reflected in the UK's shopping baskets.⁘

⁘The industry, and in particular smaller companies, could do even more with better government support, which is currently only a fraction of what's available to, for example, investments in the aerospace or automotive manufacturing sectors. To take critical investment in healthier product innovation to the next level, we're calling on government to support the UK's largest manufacturing industry in boosting further investment in reformulation.⁘

⁘Increasing positive components in products such as fibre and fruit and vegetables and targeting portion size are also promising strategies for improving public health.⁘