The Soil Association has raised concern that corporate profits are being put before public health as Freedom of Information requests suggest UPF industry’s lobbying has impacted government nutrition policy.
The new Soil Association investigation has concluded that the ultra-processed food (UPF) industry has blocked government attempts to push shops to put promotional deals on healthy foods.
Emails obtained by the charity via Freedom of Information requests reveal that the government retreated from plans to back minimally processed and nutritious foods after months of persistent lobbying by the food manufacturing sector. The Department of Health and Social Care had planned to encourage retailers to shift the balance of price promotions towards minimally processed foods, which include fruit, vegetables, beans, wholegrains like rice and pasta, and unprocessed meat. But the Soil Association found that the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) demanded this steer was removed from the guidance – despite overwhelming scientific evidence that this category of foods is crucial for a healthy diet. The FDF said the government’s promotion of minimally processed foods was a “real bone of contention” for the companies it represents. Their members include Coca-Cola, Nestle, Unilever, Mars, Cadbury, Mondelez, Danone, PepsiCo, and owner of Kellogg’s – Kellanova.
Soil Association Campaigns Co-ordinator, Cathy Cliff, commented: “This move to block discounts on healthy foods is clearly one which benefits the profits of UPF manufacturers more than the health of their consumers. The World Health Organization says healthy diets are based around unprocessed and minimally processed foods. We’re concerned the UK Government has been prevented from saying the same and we are worried corporate profits are being put before public health.”
The Soil Association and leading food and health organisations have now written an open letter to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, demanding urgent action to make healthy, minimally processed foods more accessible and affordable. Signatories include the Obesity Health Alliance, which represents 60 leading health bodies, the British Dietetics Association, and the Association of Directors of Public Health. The Soil Association has also launched a petition based on the same asks for government.
In October this year, government regulations are due to come into effect to restrict retailers from placing ‘volume price promotions’, such as multi-buy offers, on foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS). It came after, in late 2023, guidance was issued to support adoption of the upcoming new rules, and initial drafts of this advice encouraged retailers to shift price promotions, and product positioning within store, towards minimally processed foods.
The Soil Association says this could have set an important precedent, paving the way for government policies aimed at increasing consumption of fresh, healthy, minimally processed foods, such as fruits and vegetables, as a means of reducing the dominance of ultra-processed foods in diets. But the guidance was rewritten after months of lobbying by the food industry. Instead, it encouraged promotion of ‘healthier options, which the Soil Association claims is “flawed” advice; foods defined as “healthier” in the guidance include many UPFs, such as energy drinks, crisps, snacks, cereal bars, fizzy soft drinks, puddings, pizzas, burgers, ice creams, pastries, and chewing gums.
In emails to officials uncovered by the Soil Association, the FDF appear to question whether minimally processed foods are more nutritious than these ultra-processed products, saying “the science does not support” such a conclusion.
Cathy added: “It is ludicrous to claim that fresh foods are not more nutritious than UPFs and to define highly manufactured items like fizzy drinks and ice cream as healthier options. This flawed advice leaves the door open for business as usual for ultra-processed diets, when it could have been used to steer retailers towards making genuinely healthy foods more affordable.”
Katharine Jenner, Director, Obesity Health Alliance, went on: “While public trust in the food industry is incredibly low, for decades governments have placed baseless faith in it—allowing companies that profit from highly processed, high fat, salt, and sugar products to interfere with policies designed to curb their harmful impact. Sadly, these companies are following the ‘tobacco playbook’—a strategy designed to protect profits at the expense of public health. They deny and undermine the evidence, dilute policies with loopholes and exemptions, and delay action for as long as possible.”
An FDF Spokesperson told Health Food Business: “FDF regularly engages with government, on behalf of food and drink manufacturers, on regulation that underpins nutrition, food safety and food security; as well as on how we play our part in helping people follow healthier diets. In the instance cited, we asked the government to phrase their business guidance on new HFSS regulations in a way that was consistent with that legislation. We were concerned that references to processing in the guidance, which was not covered in the legislation, would cause confusion.”
