Delivering the Society of Food Hygiene and Technology's annual lecture in London last month, Richard Brasher claimed that Tesco's close connection with millions of its customers provided the retailer with a unique insight into what drives healthier eating choices.
From the data the supermarket chain had collected through initiatives such as its Club Card, it was able to highlight the differences between what shoppers actually do in practice and what they say they would like to do, he added.
"It gives us an opportunity to talk, to listen, to try and [strike a] balance between what people say and what people do," he said. "And therefore we can try to understand what those conflicts are between what you would like to do emotionally and what you end up doing."
Brasher added: "We need to find ways of more collectively working with government, with education and with the sports fraternity to find ways of coming up with more of a complete package We know that we can do more within our business.
"I think manufacturing knows it can do more, and I think government knows that it needs to do more. But I actually think it will be the bringing together of those elements that will actually make the biggest difference."
Smoking, drinking and obesity
In the government's public health white paper published last month, ministers pledged £4bn to improve the nation's health by tackling issues such as smoking, drinking and obesity and devolved responsibility for the issue to local authorities.
What this means for the food sector will emerge next year, when details of the 'responsibility deal' such as voluntary measures on salt reduction and labelling with food businesses are published.
Responding to the white paper, the British Retail Consortium's food director Andrew Opie said: "A less top-down approach that works constructively with food businesses and other organisations is sensible. Too often in the past, every ill has been laid at the door of retailers. The new emphasis on personal responsibility and helping people to make healthier choices is welcome."