For more than two decades, the UK has leaned on voluntary efforts by the food industry to drive reductions in the salt content of the food they produce for us. Yet our latest research at Action on Salt shows the limits of this approach.
In one of the most extensive surveys of ready meals ever conducted, covering over 1,500 products sold in major retailers, we found over half (55%) are high in salt, 42% are high in saturated fat, and a worrying 20% are high in salt, fat and saturated fat combined.
These findings come at a time when ready meals are a staple in UK households. Recent polling found almost half of consumers eat them at least once a week.
But what’s most alarming is that many of these meals would still pass the government’s Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM), meaning they escape the ‘less healthy’ classification. That means they are not subject to promotional restrictions, nor the advertising restrictions that come in later this year. This exposes a concerning flaw in our current policy landscape, one that allows products with excessive salt and/or fat to slip through regulatory cracks.
Our research found some ready meals contain more salt in one serving than an adult’s entire daily limit. Products like this highlight not only the urgent need for reformulation, but also the weakness of the tools we currently rely on.
Yes, salt reduction targets were renewed in 2020, but they were widely viewed as unambitious. Worse still, there has been no formal monitoring or public reporting since the targets were set, leaving us in the dark and the industry unaccountable.
Producing ready meals lower in salt and saturated fat is possible. Our research identified numerous ready meals that were significantly lower in salt, some with fewer than 0.5g in a serving. The problem is, there is simply no incentive for widespread change.
Stronger regulations
That’s why we are calling for bold government action. First, the government must urgently review the outdated 2024 salt targets to assess industry progress and identify areas for improvement.
Second, it must replace its failing voluntary framework with mandatory salt reduction targets, backed by financial penalties for non-compliance. And third, we urge the government to consider fiscal levies on salt in food, following the successful model of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, which has driven major reformulation in sugar across the drinks sector.
Finally, the NPM itself must be reviewed and strengthened to ensure no product excessively high in salt, sugar or saturated fat can be deemed ‘healthy’ based on offsets like fibre or protein content.
Public support is firmly behind this action. A recent poll we commissioned showed 80% of consumers support stronger government intervention to make food healthier, while 76% believe food companies should be doing more to reduce salt. The appetite for change is clear – what’s lacking is political will.
The UK once led the world in salt reduction, and we can do so again. However, that will only happen when policymakers stop relying on voluntary industry goodwill and start using the full power of regulation to protect the nation’s health. The time for soft encouragement is over.
Sonia Pombo, head of impact and research at Action on Salt
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