What a difference a year makes. This time last year we were waiting for the results of the FSA&'s four front-of-pack labelling trials while the industry&'s critics called for an ad ban on so-called junk food to kids.
Meanwhile, that purveyor of what I think is one of the finest of foods - Heinz Baked Beanz - said it was to buy HP Foods as it sought to grow its European business. MD Jane Miller was delighted.
Dear oh dear oh dear. Twelve months on and things are looking decidedly sticky for all the above. The FSA&'s chosen traffic light scheme is making little impact as the industry&'s favoured GDA approach gathers pace. Even minister of state for public health Caroline Flint is &"open&" to any system that helps to better inform consumers. And, in our exclusive interview, she stresses a total ban on advertising to kids would not work. Hurrah! Good news all round.
But hang on - when asked to score you on delivery against the health agenda, Flint is not so amenable. Six-and-a-half out of ten. Could do better (p6 and p34).
Heinz, on the other hand, may well be ecstatic with such a mark for its European performance. Rogue shareholder Nelson Peltz is certainly not impressed, while Miller is just one of the many senior execs to leave in the past few weeks. Doesn&'t look good.
What all these have in common is that they were over-optimistic. The FSA for believing industry would adopt a scheme it said was flawed from day one. NGOs for bleating on about a ban when all the stats showed it would not alter behaviour. And Heinz&'s US board for setting targets that were nigh-on impossible to hit in Europe&'s tough trading environment.
At least the latter recognises its mistakes and has a plan to rectify them (p32). So seven out of ten for Heinz - and only three for the others.
Siân
Harrington
deputy editor