Written Evidence Submitted by Clare Rowland at Food Standard Agency (FWM0187)

Health and Social Care Select Committee – Food and Weight Management Inquiry

Thank you for inviting the FSA to submit evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into food and weight management.

FSA Role and Remit

The FSA was established under the Food Standards Act 1999 and operates across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our objectives are to protect public health from risks arising from the consumption of food and otherwise to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food.

We directly deliver food hygiene controls in some parts of the food sector, such as the meat sector, and we advise ministers on whether new food and feed products can safely be authorised for sale. We also monitor enforcement activity by local authorities, who deliver food hygiene and food standards controls for most of the 600,000 food businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and issue guidance to public authorities on the management of foodborne disease outbreaks. Additionally, we advise ministers on food labelling and composition policy in Wales and Northern Ireland, and on nutrition policy in Northern Ireland only.

These differences across the UK are a result of changes to our remit in the past.  The FSA was originally set up as a UK-wide body and its remit covered nutrition, food labelling and composition policy across all four nations. However, machinery of government changes in 2010 resulted in significant changes. Nutrition policy in England transferred to the Secretary of State for Health, and food labelling and composition policy in England to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (both along with the expert teams carrying out this work). A separate non-ministerial body for Scotland, Food Standards Scotland (FSS), was established in 2015. FSS retains responsibility for diet and nutrition in Scotland. In Wales, responsibility for nutrition policy now sits with Welsh Government.

We have three common frameworks which set out processes for collaboration and joint working across devolved policy areas such as nutrition-related labelling and food compositional standards.

The questions posed in the terms of reference for the Committee’s inquiry are therefore outside our remit and expertise in relation to England and Wales.  However, at the Committee’s request, we are providing in this written evidence any information we can contribute which may be relevant to the inquiry. 

FSA strategy and recent activities on healthy food

In our current 5 year strategy, the FSA set out an ambition to help make food healthier and more sustainable, as well as ensuring that food is safe and food is what it says it is.  We recognised in that strategy that improving dietary health and food system sustainability were priorities for all three governments, and indeed for consumers.  We said that we wanted to support wider efforts in these areas. 

In England and Wales, we have done so primarily through our statutory functions of commissioning and coordinating research on both food safety and other interests of consumers in relation to food.  Relevant evidence from that research is set out below.  We have also supported work led by other departments, where we can helpfully provide insight or advice from a regulator’s perspective.  For example, we worked with DfE to establish a pilot for the monitoring of compliance with School Food Standards in England, and we have been a partner in work led by DHSC and Defra with the food industry on the Food Data Transparency Partnership. 

The FSA is also providing input into Defra’s Food Strategy for England. The strategy is aligned with, and supports, devolved governments’ approach to food policy, as set out in Northern Ireland Food Strategy Framework, Scotland National Good Food Nation Plan, Food Matters: Wales and A Vision for the Food and Drink Industry.

Our research portfolio includes SALIENT, an ongoing programme of randomised controlled trials, run in partnership with Defra and DHSC, to understand what interventions in the food system can effectively encourage and enable people to have a healthier and more sustainable diet. An evidence synthesis of all trials will be available in Spring 2026. The FSA is also commissioning an evidence review on the efficacy of regulatory interventions to improve outcomes in deprived communities. The trials and evidence review can feed into the Food Strategy as it develops.

Consumer insights

We produce a range of evidence on consumer insights, some of which cover concerns around healthy eating.

Healthy Eating

Findings from Our Food and You 2 survey (April-July 2024) found that 52% of respondents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were concerned about being able to eat healthily. When respondents were asked to select up to three things they consider to be most important when choosing which food to buy, the most common answer was price/ value for money (58%), followed by quality (39%) and freshness (30%). 23% said healthiness was one of the most important aspects.

Our research into the UK public’s interests, needs and concerns around food (2022) showed that consumers wanted to understand which foods are healthy and nutritious, and for it to be easy to make healthy choices. Barriers included understanding which ‘healthy’ foods to prioritise, navigating food labelling and marketing, and eating healthily within budget and time constraints. Ensuring ‘healthy food at affordable prices’ was the top priority for action for the food industry and the second-highest priority action for ‘Government’. 68% of respondents were concerned about the cost of healthy food and 53% felt ‘priced out’ of buying healthy food and 31% said they find it difficult to find fresh foods that fit their budget.

Generally, respondents did not feel that food marketing and promotions encourage them to make healthy choices. 61% of respondents stated that they “often felt that food labelled as ‘healthier options’ (e.g. low fat, low sugar, plant-based meat alternatives) were unhealthy in other ways”, and 54% agreed that they feel supermarkets encourage them to buy unhealthy foods. 50% reported worry about the long-term impact of their food choices on health. 38% would like to see regulatory action to “give more clarity on fat, salt and sugar content in food products”.

The research also found that consumers’ concerns about the long-term health and safety implications of processed foods were widespread, with many consumers wanting action from government. 61% expressed concerns about the ‘over-processing’ of food in the future. Consumers saw unprocessed or minimally processed food choices as too expensive and / or time consuming, highlighting a trade-off that consumers may have to make between healthier food and cost or convenience.

39% of respondents in England said that they “often rely on quick to prepare, convenience foods (ready meals, frozen pizza, fish fingers, nuggets etc.)” and 25% felt that heavily processed foods were the only practical option. Consumers associated multiple negative issues with more processed food, such as being less ethical; less environmentally friendly food production practices; more use of additives, pesticides and hormones; reduced ‘quality’ and ‘safety’ for consumers; and lower animal welfare.

Foods high in fat, salt and sugar

In 2022, we commissioned a rapid review on the acceptability and impact of approaches to reduce the salt, fat and sugar content of people’s diets on consumers and industry. The review found that:

• Public support for taxes is typically low but can be increased when the revenue raised is ring-fenced for health supportive activities, when fiscal approaches are believed to be effective and when there is trust that governments will spend the revenue as publicised.
• In terms of effectiveness, nutrient taxes are likely to be effective in changing intake and improving health when at a high enough level – particularly when combined with subsidies for healthy foods. Combined fiscal approaches are not regressive and can reduce health inequalities.
• Reformulation of products to reduce their fat, salt or sugar content is more acceptable to consumers when introduced gradually and alongside a rationale to the subsequent health benefits.
• Reformulation can reduce the intake of unhealthy food and improve health.
• Nutritional fact panel labels may be useful to influence the choices of people already motivated to improve their health – but some claims can lead to the unintended consequence of increased consumption (e.g. low-fat).
• Advertising restrictions on foods high in fat, salt and sugar to children are cost-effective when regulations are mandatory but not when self-regulated by industry.

Ultra-Processed Foods

A rapid evidence review on Consumer understanding and concerns about Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) (2024) by our Advisory Committee on Social Science found that, although there is a high level of awareness of the term UPF, there is little understanding of it, and consumers struggle to distinguish foods that could be classified as UPFs from those that are not.

The review also found that consumers have negative beliefs about UPFs (e.g. healthiness and sustainability), and that many want to reduce their consumption of them but struggle to do so. They do, however, also appreciate the benefits (e.g. price, convenience, shelf-life) these foods bring. The study suggests areas for future research on consumer perspectives, such as the trade-offs consumers make between perceived risks and benefits, consumer information needs, and the actions consumers want to see when it comes to UPFs and from whom.

The FSA is collaborating with UKRI to support their public dialogue on UPFs. This dialogue aims for deliberation on UPFs, including impacts on health, information sources, governance and regulation, and research and action priorities. The report will be published in January 2026.

Nutrition Policy – Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, where we have a much more direct role on dietary health, our Making Food Better programme aims to create a healthier food environment by supporting businesses in Northern Ireland to reduce sugar, calories, saturated fat and salt in the food they produce, sell or serve, reduce portion size, provide nutritional information and deliver responsible promotions. Examples of work delivered under the programme include guidance on making vending machine options healthier and more sustainable. An evaluation of the pilot published in September 2024 indicated that the vending guidance may have positively impacted nutritional purchasing with no negative impact on vending sales.

Our Making Food Better Tracker Survey gathers NI consumers’ insights on healthy eating, healthier options and reformulation, use of traffic light labels, knowledge and understanding of the recommended daily calorie intake, and attitudes towards promotions.

Trends from the most recent survey (covering 2024) showed that:

• respondents found it more difficult to purchase healthier foods when eating out than when shopping in supermarkets (in line with previous years);
• use of the traffic light labelling system remains high among respondents but the frequency with which they use the system has steadily decreased since 2022;
• there was a decrease in the number of respondents using this label when food shopping for their children compared with previous years;
• respondents were more likely to purchase items that have reduced sugar, salt and fat than a reduction in portion size;
• respondents were less likely to say that they would like to see healthier options in various food settings compared with previous years; and
• there has been a consistent decrease across recent years in the likelihood of consumers purchasing reformulated food alternatives with lower sugar, salt and fat.

We co-fund the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), which is designed to assess the diet, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the UK’s general population. NDNS results are used by governments to monitor progress towards diet and nutrition objectives of the UK Health Departments, and to develop policy interventions. Recent NDNS findings (covering 2017-2023) showed that consumers in Northern Ireland were eating too much sugar, saturated fat, red and processed meat, and not enough fruit and vegetables, oily fish or fibre.

Potential for changes to FSA role

We are aware that there have been suggestions, including in the recent report of the House of Lords Committee on Diet and Obesity, that the FSA might take on a wider regulatory role, such as monitoring progress against targets for healthier food sales, or reporting to Parliament on overall progress against outcomes in relation to healthy food.  It is for ministers to consider whether they wish to make any changes to the current remit of the FSA, whether through machinery of government changes or legislative changes. 

We have also been asked about FSA’s capacity to take on any new functions.  This would very much depend on the specific functions we were asked to carry out, and the resources provided to do so. In some areas our existing work and experience might be an asset, such as our recent trials of national level, data-driven regulation with large UK retailers and our recent annual reports on food standards across the UK.

In relation to mandatory reporting on healthier food sales specifically, the Department for Health and Social Care has this month asked the FSA to provide advice on enforcement options, noting that ministers are minded to ask the FSA to take on a formal role as the regulator enforcing this policy.  We understand that a final decision on whether FSA will be asked to regulate this area will be taken following public consultation. The FSA Board has agreed in principle that the FSA should support the DHSC in this work, subject to resourcing.

As set out in our strategy, we remain committed to supporting partners across government in helping to make food healthier, where we can appropriately do so within our statutory remit and resources.

We are happy to provide further evidence to the Committee as required.