BHF responds to guidelines on calorie and salt reduction

Commenting on Monday's announcement from Public Health England on calorie and salt reduction guidelines, John Maingay, director of policy and influencing at the British Heart Foundation said:

“This is a welcome restatement of the commitment to food reformulation programmes. Progress in reducing salt in food has slowed in recent times, so it is particularly positive to see a renewed focus on this. There is, however, a lot of work to be done if we are to ensure that average salt intake is brought down to within daily guidelines.

“Monitoring progress in meeting these targets will be important up to 2024, and beyond – meeting these voluntary guidelines should be an absolute minimum. The Government must also start to consider tougher action, such as fines or sanctions, if the food industry does not make the changes that are needed, so that people live in the healthiest possible environment.

“At this critical moment for public health in England, it’s important that reformulation of foods continues to be a priority – and that industry takes responsibility for making everyday food healthier. The success of Government’s obesity strategy depends on substantial progress in this area.”