Food retailers slam 'inept political spin' surrounding salt issue

Leading UK food industry companies have sent a letter to Health Minister John Reid to protest at comments by a government minister that not enough had been done to cut salt from certain products – describing her claims as “inept political spin which has nothing to do with real attempts to improve the nation's health”.

The industry group said it had reacted with "astonishment" at the "misleading" suggestions of lack of cooperation with government and lack of progress on salt reduction in processed foods.

The group wrote to Dr Reid after The Times published a letter yesterday by Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson who claimed that the food industry was doing little to reduce the salt content in products like pizzas, sausages, burgers and ready meals.

Director general of the British Retail Consortium, Kevin Hawkins, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, Bob Cotton, director general of the Food and Drink Federation, Sylvia Jay, and director general of the National Farmers' Union, Richard Macdonald, signed the letter.

In their worded letter to Health Secretary John Reid, the industry leaders said that over the last two years "our industries have worked closely and constructively with the Food Standards Agency and latterly with the Department of Health, both on a sector and individual company basis to produce both plans for and actual, substantial salt reductions".

The letter added: "We had in fact, hoped to explore these and other issues with your Minister for Public Health last Tuesday 15 June following a meeting with her earlier this month. That the Minister cancelled is unfortunate.

"Given the unusual circumstances we feel compelled to release this letter to the press."

Industry plans to reduce salt include: a further 5% reduction in sliced bread; reductions of salt content of all leading branded soups and meal sauces (already cut by 10% in 2003); and reductions to be targeted in the biscuits and cakes sector.

(gmcg)