Food sector: Drive to cut sugar having good impact

The food and drinks’ industry says it will show efforts made to drive down sugar and saturated fats in processed foods are having a notable impact on people’s health.

Head of consumer foods at the Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), Shane Dempsey said the industry had already made substantial progress in reducing sugar and saturated fat content.

“FDII intends to monitor the impact of reformulation over the past five years and on an ongoing basis over the next five years,” he said.

“This information will demonstrate the huge positive contribution the food industry has made and will make to population health issues.”

Mr Dempsey said the industry hopes to launch a collaborative initiative involving industry and the Government on reducing sugar and saturated fats later this year.

A sugar tax is to be one of a number of recommendations to be put to Health Minister Dr James Reilly, by a special advisory group on obesity.

The food and drinks industry is fearful shoppers will, as the result of any tax, cross the border to buy fizzy drinks, chocolate, crisps and biscuits.

Mr Dempsey said the collaborative initiative envisaged on reducing sugar and saturated fat in processed foods would be similar to action taken to reduce salt.

Since efforts began to cut back on salt in processed foods in 2003, the average daily salt intake in adults has decreased by 1.1g.

“With the salt reduction programme, we have evidence now that genuine collaboration between industry and Government can achieve population health outcomes,” said Mr Dempsey.

“If we have a working model, why not replicate that?” he asked.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland said it had always emphasised the need for industry to take responsibility for reducing salt in food.

With the FSAI hosting a salt reduction programme seminar in Dublin, its chief executive Prof Alan Reilly said the partnership approach had achieved substantial reductions across many food groups and sectors, particularly bread and breakfast cereals.

“With the rising obesity epidemic, there has been a move towards a more joined-up approach at national, EU and international levels to not only reduce salt but also unnecessary sugar and fats in our foods,” he said.

Prof Reilly said it was time for the food industry to drive its own programme of reformulation of all foods, with the FSAI maintaining its independent monitoring role.