App to help shoppers switch to less salty foods

An app has been launched to help tackle the “shocking and unnecessary levels” of salt hidden inside shoppers’ food baskets.

The SaltSwitch app allows users to scan the barcodes of nearly 90,000 packaged foods sold across major UK supermarkets using their smartphone camera.

The app provides details of any less salty, healthier alternatives, campaign group Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) said.

Shoppers receive instant colour-coded nutritional information about the product along with details of any similar products with less salt content.

The group said it wants to highlight “the shocking and unnecessary levels of salt hidden inside our weekly shopping baskets... in a bid to help UK consumers reduce their risk of heart attacks and strokes”.

CASH campaign director Katharine Jenner said: “SaltSwitch is not about telling people to stop or avoid certain foods but rather highlighting differences in products.

“This makes it easier than ever to switch to less salty, and therefore healthier, food choices in your weekly shop.”