GlobalData: Food companies still not doing enough to cut down the use of unhealthy ingredients

While consumers are demanding healthier products and governments are urging food companies to comply with nutrient profile models, the message is either going unheard or simply being ignored.

According to GlobalData’s 2018 Q3 global consumer survey 83% of parents are often or always influenced by how a product impacts the health and wellbeing of their children.

Andy Coyne, Food Correspondent at GlobalData, says:

Issues such as child obesity and the increasing number of people suffering from diseases such as diabetes have brought the make-up of food products onto the front pages of newspapers and this is not something that is going to go away.”

A new survey carried out by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) suggests food companies are still not doing enough to cut down on their use of unhealthy ingredients.

Coyne adds:

The survey found up to two-thirds of packaged food products frequently sold in the European Union contain too much sugar, salt and fat and not enough fiber and that's bad news for those who favor 'light touch' regulation or even self-regulation.”

The JRC results were based on its scientists evaluating the nutritional composition of 2,691 products in five product categories (breakfast cereals, ready meals, processed meat, processed seafood, and yogurts).

It found between half to two-thirds of all the products analyzed were ineligible for marketing to children because of a high level of unhealthy ingredients.

“Food manufacturers need to be aware that if they don't create healthier products willingly then they are likely to have restrictions imposed upon them.”