Supermarkets "Undermine Health" with Fat and Sugar
by David Derbyshire

Supermarkets were accused yesterday of undermining public health by encouraging customers to buy high-fat, high-sugar foods.

A survey by the National Consumer Council found that unhealthy food was twice as likely to be included in special offers and price promotions as fresh fruit and vegetables. Just seven per cent of "buy one get one free" and "multi-buy" offers at Somerfield, and nine per cent at Morrisons were for fresh produce, the survey found. However, supermarkets have made "significant strides" in reducing levels of salt, improved labelling and taking sweets off the check-out.

Supermarkets denied that they were acting irresponsibly and insisted that the council's figures were out of date.

The report, Healthy Competition, compared all nine major supermarket chains for their attitude to healthy food, labelling, salt, snacks at the till and special offers. The Co-op came first in the "health responsibility index", while Morrisons came last. Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, was ranked sixth.

Ed Mayo, the council's chief executive, said: "There is a change under way that is good news for consumers as supermarkets start to compete on health. The fact that the Co-op has an above-average share of budget-conscious shoppers shows that this is not just for the better off. But we are dismayed that the biggest supermarket - Tesco - is a laggard on health."

The survey checked more than 2,300 price promotions at nine major supermarkets. The proportion of fruit and vegetable promotions was highest at Marks & Spencer - with 27 per cent. However, no stores met the target of 33 per cent, the proportion of fruit and vegetables recommended for a balanced diet.

"In respect of in-store promotions, we conclude that the majority of retailers are undermining public health goals," the report said.

Morrisons and Somerfield, which had the lowest proportion of fruit and vegetable promotions are both retailers with relatively high numbers of low-income customers, it added.

The Co-op was praised for reducing salt, "excellent nutrition labelling" and the best information on its customer help line.

Most supermarkets were praised for taking unhealthy sweets off displays at checkouts, although Marks & Spencer continued to have chocolate at child height. The council asked the Food Commission to hold spot-check surveys of nine major supermarkets around England in June and July.

A spokesman for Morrisons said the report failed to present a true reflection of its approach to health responsibility.

Lucy Neville-Rolfe, a spokesman for Tesco, branded the document "out of date". A spokesman for Somerfield said: "We have consistently championed fresh foods for our customers."
The Daily Telegraph, 25th November 2005