News that the UK government may have quietly shelved its anti-obesity drive under pressure from global food corporations should concern all of us – not just as food industry professionals, but as individuals who care about the health of the people around us.
According to The Guardian, health strategy was watered down due to the lobbying efforts of some of the UK’s biggest food companies represented by the Food & Drink Federation (which represents firms with a combined annual turnover of more than £112bn). The story represents everything that’s wrong with the status quo.
Guidance urging retailers to offer millions of consumers deals and discounts on minimally processed and nutritious food was allegedly dropped following the lobbying campaign. Promotions like these would have made it more affordable for families to choose healthier options – a crucial step towards improving the diets of millions.
Pushing reformulation
Rather than putting all their efforts into lobbying the government, the industry’s response should be to step up and reformulate.
This isn’t uncharted territory. The industry has reformulated before – we saw it with the introduction of GDAs (guideline daily amounts). And of course, some of these food companies have recently committed to reducing sugar levels. When people put their minds to it, they really can do it.
It’s not about capability, it’s about priorities. Imagine the impact if even a fraction of these companies’ vast advertising budgets were redirected towards reformulation. It would be a game-changer, not just for brand trust and long-term relevance, but more importantly for public health.
Consumers are waking up – they’re reading labels, questioning claims, and demanding better. The brands that listen and act now will be the ones that thrive in the future.
Genuine leadership
When leadership chooses to lobby rather than lead, it also sends a message to teams that doing the right thing is optional. When decision-makers choose to fight against measures designed to make food healthier – be it clearer labelling, sugar reduction, or tighter advertising rules for unhealthy food – it demotivates teams and creates a culture of quiet discomfort.
People don’t want to work on products they wouldn’t feed their own children. I saw it first-hand at Nestlé, where, even 40 years after the baby milk scandal, the business was still dealing with the reputational fallout. Decisions like these linger.
We need regulation that supports and accelerates this shift. But just as importantly, we need leadership and an acceptance that this is the right thing to do. Big food has the expertise, the scale, and the influence to be a force for good. As I say, they have done it before – and can do it again.
One area where there is rare consensus across the industry is the urgent need for a clear definition of what actually counts as an ultra-processed food. At a recent conference hosted by Waitrose and Young Foodies, panel experts repeatedly made the same point: it is badly defined. And I hear this everywhere I go.
This lack of clarity makes meaningful action near impossible. If the government wants manufacturers to move forward, it must set a clear, science-backed standard. I believe that once that’s in place, the time for lobbying will be over. Big food will have no excuse but to lead.
Jon Walsh, Bio&Me co-founder and CEO
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