Top food retailers sign up to health accord

Leeds-based Asda, Marks & Spencer, Bradford-based Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, The Co-operative and Waitrose have all signed up to the plan, which will be officially announced today.

It comes after six major health organisations refused to enlist as partners on the alcohol aspects, accusing the Government of allowing the drinks industry to dictate health policy.

In the latest move, retailers will increase awareness of alcohol units on drinks and are giving cash to regional programmes aimed at tackling alcohol abuse.

It is hoped other sectors, such as manufacturing and catering, will join up in the future.

Over the weekend, Heineken announced it would cut the alcohol content of one of its major brands after signing up to the responsibility deal.

The firm, which makes drinks including Foster’s, John Smith’s, Strongbow and Bulmers, will also carry unit information on all its branded drinking glasses.

Asda has also pledged to end front-of-store alcohol displays by the end of April and has pledged £1m to community projects.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley wants firms and charities to join the deal to reduce the amount of sugar, salt and fat in food, and encourage people to drink responsibly.

He hopes measures aimed at better labelling and more information for consumers will eliminate the need for regulation.

Around 150 companies have already signed up to some aspects of the deal, including putting calories on menus, cutting salt and removing trans fats.

But Alcohol Concern, the British Medical Association (BMA), the Royal College of Physicians, the British Association for the Study of the Liver, the British Liver Trust, and the Institute of Alcohol Studies, have refused to support the deal.

Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said it represented “the worst possible deal for everyone who wants to see alcohol harm reduced” and set no sanctions if industry were to fail on its pledges.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, director of professional activities at the BMA, said: the Government had “chosen to rely on the alcohol industry to develop policies”, adding: “Given the inherent conflict of interest these will do nothing to reduce the harm caused by alcohol misuse.”

Food director at the British Retail Consortium, Andrew Opie, said the deal was a “significant development”.

He added: “Customers make the final decision about what goes in their baskets but retailers do a lot to help shoppers look after their own and their families’ health.

“Retailers have pioneered healthy eating initiatives such as the introduction of clear calorie information on packs and the removal of artificial trans fats.

“They offer customers thousands of healthy products to choose from and these are often included in promotions and special offers.

“The next step must be more involvement from other sectors, such as manufacturing and catering.”

He said it was also essential that people were given good information to take action in their own homes.

“It’s pointless retailers taking salt out of their products if families just add it themselves when they sit down to eat, for example.”