THE LAST WORD _


The last WORD


Taking action on health The FDF’s Terry Jones looks at the role the FMCG industry is playing in the nation’s health


UK food and drink manufacturers share society’s concerns about the health of the nation - particularly in relation to rising obesity levels – and are committed to playing a positive, proactive role in responding to this vital issue.


M


any of Britain’s best- loved brands fall within the Food and Drink


Federation’s (FDF) membership, with our organisation representing over two-thirds of the products found on supermarket shelves. Food and drink manufacturers have long been aware of their role in the public health agenda, as highlighted in FDF’s first health and wellbeing action plan published in 2004. Our members and the industry generally are leading the way in areas such as food labelling, product reformulation, the development of new healthy lines and workplace wellbeing initiatives. By using our collective resources, ingenuity and knowledge of the UK market, our industry continues to act proactively to the benefit of consumers. Our current commitments and


Terry Jones is director of communications at the Food & Drink Federation (FDF).


some examples of our members’ activities include: nutrition labelling, where the industry aims to provide clear nutrition information on-pack, as well as supporting the use of Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) labelling on


48 | FMCG News | FMCGNews.co.uk


the front of our packs. This is an important tool in helping boost the food literacy of consumers. Another of industry’s priorities


is finding new ways to lower the salt, fat or sugar content of products to help consumers make healthy choices. However, sometimes reformulation is not enough – or it technically difficult to achieve. When this is the case, members will often look to develop ‘better for you’ alternatives to popular brands, or develop a range of appropriate portion sizes as another way of helping consumers choose the products best suited to their consumption needs. We, as an industry, want and


need to play an important role in looking after the health of the nation and one way that many food and drink manufacturers are doing this is through a partnership with government through the Public Health Responsibility Deal. FDF is a founding signatory of the Responsibility Deal and through this approach, we hope to work with government, NGOs and other stakeholders to deliver long- term consumer benefits and behavioral changes. As an industry, we recognise


that a healthy diet, along with regular physical activity and limited alcohol consumption, is essential for good public health and our activity to date shows that we are most definitely ‘stepping


up to the plate’. 


The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the UK food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector in the country. The food & drink sector directly employs up to 400,000 people and accounts for 15 per cent of the UK's total manufacturing sector by value and is an invaluable partner to British agriculture, buying two thirds of what farmers produce. Their membership comprises manufacturers of all sizes as well as trade associations dealing with specific sectors of the industry. The FDF help their members operate in an appropriately regulated marketplace to maximise their competitiveness.


For more information, visit www.fdf.org.uk.


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