Pressure over 'healthy food' labelling

Food manufacturers have come under renewed pressure from supermarkets to reduce the level of sugar and salt used in "healthy" products.

The Co-op is leading a campaign to stop misleading claims about so-called low-fat foods. It wants other retailers to join its move to force manufacturers to either remove the claims made on packaging or make the food inside healthier.

Meanwhile, a survey reveals that six out of 10 consumers don't understand what "low-fat" labels mean.

An NOP poll of more than 1,000 shoppers found that 60 per cent believed that a label with "80 per cent fat-free" on it meant the product was low in fat.

But when told that a 20 per cent fat level in food was in fact very high, more than 80 per cent said such marketing was unfair and should be banned.

Demand for low-fat food is spiralling with almost half of the population overweight or obese. However, the growth in demand for healthier foods has led to a surge in products making health claims. An investigation by the Co-op has found that even products such as vegetable oil, crisp snacks and cake bars are making bizarre claims about their health attributes.

The supermarket found that many foods which claim to be good for you are high in fat or have unhealthy amounts of sugar and salt added to boost their flavour.

The Co-op picked out products such as St Ivel Gold spread, which claims to be low in fat. Although healthier than some other brands, it still contains 38 per cent fat.

Vegalene Spray and McCain Oven Chips also claim to contain "no cholesterol". But the spray contains 89.7g of fat per 100g, while the term "cholesterol-free" should not be used under recommendations by the Food Standards Agency.

Fry's Turkish Delight is another popular product which has used health claims to boost its status. Emblazoned on the front are the words "92 per cent fat free and always has been". Although this is true, it masks the fact that the main ingredient of the confection is glucose syrup.

Dr Mike Rayner, director of the British Heart Foundation Health Promotions Research Group at Oxford University, said that food makers should come clean. "It's vital that people get to understand how much fat and saturated fat they are actually eating. An important way they can do this is by food manufacturers telling us - preferably in plain English - how much fat and saturated fat there is in products."

Today, laws do not require manufacturers to list the amount of sugar and salt in foods. Often they come under a wider title of "sodium" and "carbohydrates" instead.

The Co-op wants a change in the law so that all foods have clear labels indicating the fat, sugar, salt and calorie content so that consumers know the effect on their health. The supermarket is today putting labels on its own-brand products which contain this information, despite the fact that offering such details breaks EU law. Wendy Wrigley, general manager of retail brands at the Co-op Group, said: "There are many contributory factors to diet-related disorders. Misleading labelling is one that can be easily eliminated. We're calling on food companies and retailers to join our campaign to sweep misleading labels off the shelves once and for all."

However, the Co-op admitted it would not stop selling branded products with misleading labels. In the past few years, there has been a sharp rise in the number of people trying to adopt a more healthy lifestyle. Not only has membership of gyms and sports clubs surged but sales of healthier foods have also increased.

Sales of diet food and drinks are expected to increase to £61 billion by 2006 - a £10 billion rise in only a decade. All of the major supermarkets now sell own-brand ranges of lower-fat ready meals.

Children, according to a recent Government survey, consume 3.5g salt a day. The Government recommends that a child under the age of four should only consume 1.25g salt a day - or, if over four years of age, 1.73g a day.