Sugar media-hype could confuse consumers: FDF director general

Speaking at Food Manufacture’s Business Leaders’ Forum in central London yesterday (January 21), Leech welcomed sensible debates on the effect of sugar in the diet.

But she was “concerned​” ​and “upset​”​ that groups like Action on Sugar​ (AoS) had dubbed “sugar as the new tobacco​”​.

“The conversation should be around what science suggests and what we need to understand from the science to have that conversation.​”​ Leech also said a lack of science-backed debate could prove detrimental to consumers’ food choices.

“I think it completely messes consumers’ heads up, because how do they navigate through that conversation? They don’t all know where sugar has come from – is it fruit, fruit juice or added sugar? It all gets terribly messed-up.​” ​

Messing with their heads​

She said the AoS campaign, which has been the subject of media-hype since it launched earlier this month, could even lead to consumers abstaining from fruit, for fear of its sugar content.

However, other delegates aired concerns about “hidden​” ​sugars in foods, such as savoury ready meals.

Paul Haigney, consultant at cloud-based software solutions company Papaya, said it was unfair to add sugars to such foods and warned manufacturers it was now an “adapt or die​”​ situation for them if they were doing it.

He said the recent media-hype had created a “fantastic opportunity​” ​for food businesses to change what they were doing. “Get on the crest of the wave to get it out there that you are reducing sugars and replacing them with alternatives.​”​

Not responsible​

This sentiment was echoed by Anna Rosier, md of organic baby food processor Organix, who said some food manufacturers were using sugar to make cheap foods tastier.

“That’s not very responsible and you should try to formulate a food that tastes good ​[without the need for added sugar],” Rosier said.

She said it was unfair to add sugar to products where consumers would not expect it, such as in lasagnes. “It’s irresponsible and that’s what I have a problem with.​

“I worry how many businesses can see what they can get away with before they get caught doing something wrong.​”​

Sugar addiction​

The debate followed the recent screening of a Channel 4 programme on sugar addiction, which FDF director of regulation and science Barbara Gallani​ slammed as “highly misleading​” ​before it aired on January 20.

Channel 4’s Are you addicted to sugar?​ questioned whether simply cutting food consumption would help people lose weight.

A press release from the channel said: “Experts say that the real problem lies in the quantity of sugar hidden in the food we eat.​”​

However, Gallani said targeting one ingredient as an issue did not help people build a realistic approach to their diet. She said food manufacturers had provided clear and simple nutritional and ingredient labelling on-pack to help inform dietary choices.

She added: “​Sugars, or any other nutrient for that matter, when consumed as part of a varied and balanced diet do not cause obesity, to which there is no simple or single solution.​”​

Business Leaders' Forum ​

The Business Leaders’ Forum, staged in association with law firm Stephenson Harwood, was sponsored by Agrantec, Intertek, Tata Consultancy, plus insurance firm Aon, Columbus IT and NSF International.

Watch out later this week for more news, including video interviews, from the event staged yesterday (January 21) in central London.