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Proposals to revise the voluntary salt reduction targets

Tuesday 22 July 2008

We seek your views and comments on Agency proposals to revise the voluntary salt reduction targets and to revise the monitoring arrangements.

All comments and views should be sent to:

Nicole Redhead

Food Standards Agency
Room 808
Aviation House
125 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6NH

E-mail: Nicole.redhead@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Responses are requested by: 31 October 2008

Summary of responses is now available

PDF Document (pdf 165KB)

Consultation details

The key proposals are:

to revise, in the light of experience and progress to date, the UK targets for the levels of salt in key categories of manufactured foods. Revised targets are proposed for a limited range of food categories for 2010, and new targets are proposed for most foods (with some minor exceptions) for 2012
to revise some product category descriptions
to adopt a rolling programme of biennial reviews of industry progress and the need for further adjustments to the targets. The first review would take place in 2010
To revise the monitoring framework for the salt reduction policy

Background
The rationale for, and scope of, the Government’s salt reduction programme is set out in the consultation documents attached below. The programme has three key strands:

a public campaign to raise consumers awareness of why a high salt intake is bad for their health and what they can do to reduce intakes
working with the food industry to reduce levels of salt in foods
front of pack labelling to provide additional information to consumers on the levels of salt and other nutrients in food

The establishment of voluntary targets for salt in certain key manufactured-food categories, was intended to provide a means of monitoring and reporting progress towards intake reductions, and provide guidance to businesses. The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) Strategic Plan to 2010 set out the UK-wide objective, working with health departments and stakeholders, to reduce the average UK intakes of salt. The UK’s individual country nutrition action plans also recommend that the Government work with industry to reduce the amount of salt consumed in the UK and/or to more generally develop and promote initiatives with the food industry to improve healthy eating. In England, commitments to work on reformulation have been restated in the ‘Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives’ obesity strategy under which a Healthy Food Code of Practice is being developed to deliver Government objectives working in partnership with industry. The original reformulation work stemmed from commitments to work with industry set out in the White Paper ‘Choosing Health’.

In March 2006, following a public consultation, the Agency published a set of 85 voluntary salt reduction targets covering a wide range of foods. At that time, it committed to reviewing both progress towards the targets and the target levels themselves in 2008.

Revised targets for levels of salt in key food categories

This consultation is seeking views on proposals to revise the voluntary salt reduction targets, that were published in 2006, in the light of experience gained in the last two years. The proposed revised targets have been informed by a series of meetings with industry, independent experts and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). They take into account current salt levels in products, technical constraints, food safety issues and consumer acceptability. The Agency would urge industry to continue to reduce sodium levels as far as possible. An account of how the targets were developed is provided in the consulation documents below.

A number of changes to the salt targets published in 2006 have been made. These include revised product descriptions and proposals for new targets as follows:

Stricter salt targets are proposed for 2010 for: bacon; ham and other cured meats; cooked sausages and sausage meat; meat pies; mozzarella; processed cheeses; margarines and other spreads; extruded snacks; pelleted snacks; salt and vinegar snacks; cakes; tomato ketchup; mayonnaise (reduced fat/calories); dehydrated instant mashed potato.
New and stricter salt target levels for all product categories have been proposed for 2012 with some minor exceptions.
Some redefining of food categories, to better suit food products on the market and facilitate improved user understanding is being proposed. The following categories are affected: cooked uncured meats; frankfurters; cheddar cheese: cottage cheese; ready meals; soups; pizzas; pastries; fruit pies; thick pastes (formally part of pesto and other thick sauces); sweet biscuits; pasta, excluding ready meals; all other processed puddings; other canned fish; processed vegetable-based products (now meat alternatives).

The proposed revised product categories, and targets for 2010 and 2012, are provided in the consultation documents

The results of the recent 2008 urinary analysis survey, provide a positive indication of a downward trend in sodium intakes. Our best estimate of average population intakes for 2008 is 8.6g compared to 9.0g in 2005/06 and 9.5g in 2000/01. Clearly, further work is needed to meet the public health recommendations for salt intakes of not more than 6g per day for adults and less than 6g for children. We therefore intend to introduce a regular review of progress on a biennial basis, to ensure continued and steady progress on salt reduction, with the next review taking place in 2010. At the 2010 review point we will assess:

progress against the 2010 targets, and our 6g strategic objective
progress made towards the 2012 targets
what further action may be necessary, including scope for adjustment of 2012 targets and the need for targets beyond 2012

Monitoring progress towards the 6g target

The Agency has considered representations from industry on the resource implications of the self reporting framework and a proposed scheme is set out in sections 7 and 8 of Annexe A.

Points to consider for this consultation

We would welcome any comments you may have on the categories and targets proposed. We would particularly like to seek your views on:

the revised and new targets and the timescale for meeting them as set out in Annexe B
the revised category descriptions, and the revised and redefined target categories, as set out in Annexe B
the proposal to adopt a rolling programme of biennial reviews of industry progress and the need for any adjustments to the targets. The first review would take place in 2010
the proposals for a revised monitoring scheme set out in Annexe A sections 7 and 8
the Impact Assessment

Actions following the consultation

Once the consultation is completed, comments will be taken into account during revisions to the product categories and targets. It is anticipated that the final targets will be published by the end of December 2008.

Further information

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the (External) HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation , which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Download word Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Download pdf Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

Publication of personal data and confidentiality of responses

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. Responses will be open to public access upon request. The FSA will also publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name and contact address details. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Download word Data protection form (Word)

Download pdf Data protection form (pdf)

Publication of response summary

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator by email: consultationcoordinator@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Graphic version of this page

Proposals to revise the voluntary salt reduction targets

All comments and views should be sent to:

Summary of responses is now available

Consultation details

Further information

Publication of personal data and confidentiality of responses

Publication of response summary

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