First, foodservice is part of the food industry not as you infer something different. Yes, retailers and food manufacturers have made significant improvements to the nutritional status of their own-label products over the past few years. They are to be applauded for doing so. Their lobby bodies in the British Retail Consortium and Food and Drink Federation are effective in promoting a strong case with the Department of Health and other government departments and rightly so. We would all like recognition of the efforts we are making to improve the nation's health and that includes foodservice.
3663 has made significant efforts along with its suppliers in both own-label and branded ranges to reduce salt to a significant degree. 3663 own-label meets salt targets for 2010 and more than 50% of stock keeping units already meet 2012 targets. Our 'Positive Step' campaign brings together a tough standard for fat, sugar and sodium. Both own-label and branded are linked to this standard unlike in retail where claims are only made for own-label. Yes, we would like all parties to move more quickly and offer choice, but there are different demands from customers in different sectors.
Please continue the good work in critiquing the PHRD as ineffective and lacking in focus, and support the British Nutrition Foundation in sticking to the science in this complex area. But don't succumb to the negative critics who want to knock another sector's efforts without understanding the different drivers in that marketplace.
Martin Forsyth
3663, director of technical food services