Government fails to stop promoting ultra-processed foods in the face of industry pressure

Government fails to stop promoting ultra-processed foods in the face of industry pressure

The government has failed to stop promoting ultra-processed foods to families despite thousands of people demanding they stop endorsing these junk foods.

The Soil Association is questioning the influence of the food industry on government decision making after a refusal to stop endorsing biscuits, cakes, crisps, chocolate puddings and fizzy pop through the Food Scanner app.

Earlier this year the food and farming charity revealed that the government app – which has been downloaded at least half a million times – calls hundreds of ultra-processed items a “good choice” despite their links to cancer, heart disease and early death.

Around 14,000 people have signed a petition and 2,000 have written to their MP demanding the government put a stop to this, while public concern grows on the subject with Chris van Tulleken’s book ‘Ultra Processed People’ currently a top seller.

But the government has failed to act, and Secretary of State for Health Steve Barclay has declined to meet with Soil Association experts, who are concerned about how much the profit-driven food industry is shaping public health policy.

These concerns are echoed by the Lancet and the World Health Organization, who have both warned about food manufacturers’ influence on public health since the Soil Association launched its campaign.

Soil Association Campaign Coordinator Cathy Cliff said: “We are deeply concerned about the influence of the food and drink industry over UK health policy. Our government is actively promoting ultra-processed foods to cash-strapped families while MPs are walking out of parliament carrying giant bars of Cadbury’s chocolate. Why does the UK government think this is appropriate?

“Ultra-processed foods make up almost two-thirds of British children’s diets. And yet the Food Scanner app continues to tell families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis that biscuits, energy drinks and other products with no nutritional value are good choices.

“Our government should be more concerned about kids’ health and the impact on the NHS than corporate profits.
“Other countries are taking action to help citizens reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods and, after two years of campaigning, we’re pleased the government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition is now reviewing the evidence linking these foods to poor health.

“But we need action and the very least our government should do is remove their endorsement from these foods.”

Since the Soil Association launched its “Taking the Biscuit” campaign, the industry-funded British Nutrition Foundation issued a position statement warning against the inclusion of ultra-processed foods in national dietary guidelines. Other countries have taken such action, including France and Brazil.

In contrast, in response to the campaign, several Labour MPs posted parliamentary questions asking what action government is taking on ultra-processed foods and the Food Scanner App’s endorsements.

But in the formal response, Neil O’Brien, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care, defended the app’s criteria for awarding a “Good Choice” badge. He failed to commit to any action around ultra-processed foods, pointing to other existing healthy eating policies and stating that there is no agreed definition of these foods.

But he did announce that the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), on whose recommendations the government bases dietary guidelines, is reviewing the evidence on processed foods and health. It aims to publish its initial assessment in the summer of 2023.

Cliff added: “There is international recognition of the NOVA categorisation of foods that defines ultra-processed foods and that has allowed other nations to take meaningful action. There is also a large and growing bank of scientific evidence connecting these foods to ill health.

“The government must stop kicking the can of ultra-processed pop down the road. Their aim for everyone to have a healthy, balanced diet won’t work while these foods dominate our diets supported by heavy industry advertising and government endorsements.

“The UK government needs to catch up with the science and enact a policy response, as other governments globally are doing, and work to re-balance the national diet.

“With the growing evidence that ultra-processed food over-consumption is linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, poor liver health, depression and early death, a government response is now urgently needed.”

The Soil Association submitted its 14,000-strong petition to government today (18/5/23) with an open letter asking the Minister to clarify exactly why the Food Scanner App is not being revised.

Find out more: www.soilassociation.org/takingthebiscuit

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. 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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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