Supermarkets challenged over unhealthy promotions

Soft drinks - credit Fotolia

Scotland’s food and drink safety watchdog has joined campaigners in challenging supermarkets to play a more active role in tackling obesity, after it emerged they promote unhealthy food more frequently than healthy options.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has welcomed research by consumer group Which? that found the large supermarket chains are more likely to promote soft drinks and fast food than fresh fruit and vegetables.

It also found many consumers are under the impression that a healthy diet costs more.

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Over a quarter of the Scottish population are currently obese, with two thirds either obese or overweight. However 77 per cent believe they have a healthy diet, according to FSS.

The Which? research examined 77,000 promotions by the large supermarket chains and found 69 per cent of high sugar soft drinks and more than half of confectionary products were on special offer, compared to only around a third of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The findings back up retail data from FSS, which also revealed an imbalance between healthy and unhealthy promotions.

Over half of those surveyed by Which? said supermarkets should include healthier options in promotion, 48 per cent said healthier options should be cheaper, and 46 per cent supported the reformulation of products to contain less sugar, salt and fat.

The Scottish Government is expected to produce a new obesity strategy during this parliament, but so far it has resisted calls to take a hard line with the big retailers.

The FSS said it was pushing for an “integrated, industry-wide approach” to tackling the problem of obesity.

“There is a disconnect between the scale of the problem and how healthy people believe their diet to be,” said Heather Peace, head of nutrition, science and policy at FSS. “We all need to recognise there is a problem and everyone including consumers, the food and drink industry, retailers, media and government has a part to play in finding a solution.”

The food and drink industry still had time to propose alternatives to government regulation, she said.

"In addition, FSS is currently in the process of commissioning new research to help identify what retailers might do to guide consumer purchasing towards a healthier diet."

Alex Neill, director of campaigns and policy at Which? said:

“Our latest research in Scotland shows that people would like to eat more healthily but it’s the less healthy options that are more likely to be included within supermarket price promotions.

“It’s time for all retailers to take more responsibility for the types of food they include in their price promotions as well as to live up to their promises to take sweets off the checkout.”