Is the industry tackling state health targets? Caroline Flint talks exclusively to Siân Harrington
If the mainstream media and NGOs are to be believed, the food and drink industry scores a big fat zero in helping the nation tackle its dietary problems. In fact, its critics say, it is at the very root of the growing obesity crisis.
But what does the government think of its performance in the 18 months since the public health White Paper was unveiled and the battle lines were drawn? "I would give the industry eight out of ten for engagement and six-and-a-half for delivery," says newly promoted minister of state for public health Caroline Flint in an exclusive interview with The Grocer. "True, some are doing better than others, but I am pleased there is a willingness to talk about issues and with the level of engagement."
In particular, in the year Flint has been in charge of executing the government's Choosing Health White Paper, she says she has been impressed with the "fantastic progress" on reformulation. "There have been salt reductions in areas industry didn't think possible," she notes. And even in the contentious area of labelling, "one thing everyone has signed up to is that it needs to be clearer".
Heartening words indeed for an industry bruised by vociferous daily criticism from some circles. So would Flint go as far as giving this industry a clean bill of health? Unfortunately not. For while she is magnanimous in her praise of the steps taken by many suppliers and retailers to date, Flint believes some of the arguments being used in defence of industry's position are disingenuous.
"It is irritating when arguments are based on areas that are not, and were never, to be included," she says, referring to one of the most contentious areas - front-of-pack labelling. This, says Flint, was always intended to cover foods in which the nutrient content was not obvious, such as meal replacements - ready meals and cereals. At no time was it meant to take in foodstuffs obviously high or low in a nutrient.
Take sweets. "The issue is about selling them as treats and where they fit in with a balanced diet. This is not an area we are worried about. It is cheeky to bring in such areas to argue your case when there was no intention to include them," she says.
Likewise, she feels the uproar over the use of nutrient profiling is unfair, given existing industry practice. Nutrient profiling is being used to categorise foods on the basis of their nutrient content and will underpin further restrictions on the advertising and promotion of foods high in fat, salt and sugar to children. "I have learnt how much companies are already using nutrient profiling tools themselves, in the development of things such as kids' ranges and low-fat products. They all use some sort of tool to define what the content should be."
The third of the triumvirate of industry bugbears - the deadline for measuring whether the balance of promotion to children had changed - sees Flint continuing to stick to her guns, as she did at The Grocer's White Paper summit last November.
"I know things have been delayed," she concedes. "It is a very complex area. But there is not a problem in keeping the review to 2007. There is still enough time to see the outcomes. We may not have the whole picture in 2007, but will have a pretty good idea as to how advertising has been modified."
Despite this, the Department of Health is still working out how it will monitor any change in the balance of advertising. At this stage Flint can only say that it may be based on how a sample audience reacts to changes and stresses: &"It's an important part of promoting a healthier eating environment, but it is not the only issue. It is part of a jigsaw that also includes areas such as reformulation and school meals, for example."
While industry's reaction to all the above irks Flint, she is canny enough to realise that the sector's immensely competitive nature can work to her advantage. This is nowhere more obvious than in front-of-pack signposting. The almost wholesale dismissal of the Food Standards Agency's traffic light scheme, from manufacturers at least, does not worry her. "We need to monitor the impact of the different types of labelling. If evidence shows that certain systems work better than others, then I am open to it," she says, although she admits she is not convinced about the GDA-based approach favoured by industry. "A lot of people don't understand percentages," she says.
However, she adds: "I am having conversations with different companies. There is a healthy element of competition and each company wants to prove its scheme is the best. It's a case of 'We are on your side, mum - we can give you information as simply as possible'. There is a business drive behind this and I will take advantage of that - it opens the discussion and creates a dynamic."
One area which industry has embraced is social marketing. It is here that perhaps government and industry have most common ground - and Flint believes the relationship is proving beneficial. "What we haven't had is the knowledge and experience of understanding the people we are trying to reach. Industry has much of this type of information and we have a constructive relationship here. We are looking at what sort of campaign we need at a national and local level and how we can best use sales and marketing techniques to motivate and support people."
The first phase of this campaign is aimed at parents of two to ten-year-olds. "It is essential we get the tone and language right. We want to make it positive and motivational, and to move away from the blame game," says Flint. She points out that the whole approach within government has changed. "It used to be an obesity programme; now it is a healthy living programme," she says.
Another step forward is in the working relationship between government departments. "We have cross-ministerial groups and cross-department programme boards as well as a much closer relationship between health and local government."
Flint is adamant there is no quick fix to the issue of health, in particular obesity, and that activity is a vital component in the solution. Her promotion to minister of state leaves her remit pretty much unchanged, but one important added responsibility is that she is now cross-departmental head on physical activity.
As such, Flint will work with other departments to help people make healthier choices about fitness. She&'ll be pulling together all the strands of work being done and evaluating them. The promotion also indicates the priority government is placing on health improvement.
But the spotlight on diet is not going to go away. So does Flint have a message for the industry? "It is so important that we all play a role in helping people to have a healthy balance in their diets. We are what we eat and we have to deal with it. So continue to be engaged with us.
If the mainstream media and NGOs are to be believed, the food and drink industry scores a big fat zero in helping the nation tackle its dietary problems. In fact, its critics say, it is at the very root of the growing obesity crisis.
But what does the government think of its performance in the 18 months since the public health White Paper was unveiled and the battle lines were drawn? "I would give the industry eight out of ten for engagement and six-and-a-half for delivery," says newly promoted minister of state for public health Caroline Flint in an exclusive interview with The Grocer. "True, some are doing better than others, but I am pleased there is a willingness to talk about issues and with the level of engagement."
In particular, in the year Flint has been in charge of executing the government's Choosing Health White Paper, she says she has been impressed with the "fantastic progress" on reformulation. "There have been salt reductions in areas industry didn't think possible," she notes. And even in the contentious area of labelling, "one thing everyone has signed up to is that it needs to be clearer".
Heartening words indeed for an industry bruised by vociferous daily criticism from some circles. So would Flint go as far as giving this industry a clean bill of health? Unfortunately not. For while she is magnanimous in her praise of the steps taken by many suppliers and retailers to date, Flint believes some of the arguments being used in defence of industry's position are disingenuous.
"It is irritating when arguments are based on areas that are not, and were never, to be included," she says, referring to one of the most contentious areas - front-of-pack labelling. This, says Flint, was always intended to cover foods in which the nutrient content was not obvious, such as meal replacements - ready meals and cereals. At no time was it meant to take in foodstuffs obviously high or low in a nutrient.
Take sweets. "The issue is about selling them as treats and where they fit in with a balanced diet. This is not an area we are worried about. It is cheeky to bring in such areas to argue your case when there was no intention to include them," she says.
Likewise, she feels the uproar over the use of nutrient profiling is unfair, given existing industry practice. Nutrient profiling is being used to categorise foods on the basis of their nutrient content and will underpin further restrictions on the advertising and promotion of foods high in fat, salt and sugar to children. "I have learnt how much companies are already using nutrient profiling tools themselves, in the development of things such as kids' ranges and low-fat products. They all use some sort of tool to define what the content should be."
The third of the triumvirate of industry bugbears - the deadline for measuring whether the balance of promotion to children had changed - sees Flint continuing to stick to her guns, as she did at The Grocer's White Paper summit last November.
"I know things have been delayed," she concedes. "It is a very complex area. But there is not a problem in keeping the review to 2007. There is still enough time to see the outcomes. We may not have the whole picture in 2007, but will have a pretty good idea as to how advertising has been modified."
Despite this, the Department of Health is still working out how it will monitor any change in the balance of advertising. At this stage Flint can only say that it may be based on how a sample audience reacts to changes and stresses: &"It's an important part of promoting a healthier eating environment, but it is not the only issue. It is part of a jigsaw that also includes areas such as reformulation and school meals, for example."
While industry's reaction to all the above irks Flint, she is canny enough to realise that the sector's immensely competitive nature can work to her advantage. This is nowhere more obvious than in front-of-pack signposting. The almost wholesale dismissal of the Food Standards Agency's traffic light scheme, from manufacturers at least, does not worry her. "We need to monitor the impact of the different types of labelling. If evidence shows that certain systems work better than others, then I am open to it," she says, although she admits she is not convinced about the GDA-based approach favoured by industry. "A lot of people don't understand percentages," she says.
However, she adds: "I am having conversations with different companies. There is a healthy element of competition and each company wants to prove its scheme is the best. It's a case of 'We are on your side, mum - we can give you information as simply as possible'. There is a business drive behind this and I will take advantage of that - it opens the discussion and creates a dynamic."
One area which industry has embraced is social marketing. It is here that perhaps government and industry have most common ground - and Flint believes the relationship is proving beneficial. "What we haven't had is the knowledge and experience of understanding the people we are trying to reach. Industry has much of this type of information and we have a constructive relationship here. We are looking at what sort of campaign we need at a national and local level and how we can best use sales and marketing techniques to motivate and support people."
The first phase of this campaign is aimed at parents of two to ten-year-olds. "It is essential we get the tone and language right. We want to make it positive and motivational, and to move away from the blame game," says Flint. She points out that the whole approach within government has changed. "It used to be an obesity programme; now it is a healthy living programme," she says.
Another step forward is in the working relationship between government departments. "We have cross-ministerial groups and cross-department programme boards as well as a much closer relationship between health and local government."
Flint is adamant there is no quick fix to the issue of health, in particular obesity, and that activity is a vital component in the solution. Her promotion to minister of state leaves her remit pretty much unchanged, but one important added responsibility is that she is now cross-departmental head on physical activity.
As such, Flint will work with other departments to help people make healthier choices about fitness. She&'ll be pulling together all the strands of work being done and evaluating them. The promotion also indicates the priority government is placing on health improvement.
But the spotlight on diet is not going to go away. So does Flint have a message for the industry? "It is so important that we all play a role in helping people to have a healthy balance in their diets. We are what we eat and we have to deal with it. So continue to be engaged with us.
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