The UK Government has published its response to the UK House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee’s food and health report Recipe for Health: A Plan to Fix our Broken Food System. The report was published last year based on evidence from experts, including many OHA members. The story is covered in The Grocer [paywall]
The House of Lords report concluded that obesity and diet-related disease are a public health emergency that costs society billions each year in healthcare costs and lost productivity. It called on the Government to develop a comprehensive, integrated long-term new strategy to fix our food system, underpinned by a new legislative framework, and highlighted several key actions the strategy must include.
The government has responded to each of the chapters in turn, which cover: Diagnosing the problem; Government strategy; the role of industry; ultra-processed foods (UPFs); making food environments healthier; holding the food industry to account; reformulation, taxes and subsidies; advertising of unhealthy food, healthier high streets; food labelling; infants, children and young people; making healthy food affordable and accessible and the cost of a healthy diet.
The response acknowledges that reducing obesity rates will help make the country fairer, allow people to be healthier for longer and reduce early deaths from the biggest killers. It also states that to do this ‘will require reshaping the food environment that has caused the rise in obesity.’
The response does not appear to have accepted any of the recommendations, beyond those already committed to or in train, such as the upcoming advertising and multi-buy restrictions, new powers for local authorities to prevent new hot food takeaways from opening, and a new Food Strategy. The response outright rejects any plans to exclude food businesses or industry representatives from policy-making, whilst acknowledging that ‘there is a distinction between engaging on the feasibility of implementation and engaging directly on policy design’.
Whilst we are pleased Government is prioritising prevention, and developing a Food Strategy which will include a focus on health, the lack of immediacy is of concern. We also hope the Food Strategy adopts the Committee’s vision of being comprehensive, integrated and long term.
Katharine Jenner, Director of the Obesity Health Alliance says:
“We are deeply disappointed by the government’s response, which lacks the bold action needed to fix our broken food environment—despite the clear evidence and common-sense recommendations set out in the House of Lords report;
“While pledges to restrict unhealthy advertising, ban energy drink sales to under-16s, and keeping levies under review are positive, these are not new measures. The report falls well short of the decisive regulatory action the Lords deemed essential to reshaping the food environment that has caused the rise in obesity.
“By intending to rely on industry cooperation in the upcoming food strategy, the government is prioritising the voices of those who profit from unhealthy food over independent experts and those directly affected by an unhealthy food environment. Time and again, voluntary schemes and industry-led initiatives have proven ineffective.
“One of the biggest barriers to economic growth is preventable obesity-related illness, which is driving vast numbers of people out of the workforce. A healthier population isn’t just a public health necessity—it’s essential for economic prosperity. Without urgent action, the government risks missing a vital opportunity to curb obesity and improve the UK’s health,”
Baroness Walmsley, who chaired the Food, Diet and Obesity Committee says:
“In recent interviews with researchers, former Prime Ministers and Health Secretaries expressed regret that they had not done more to tackle obesity and advised the Government to “be bold and act fast”.
“The report from the Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee recommended bold measures to be implemented immediately. However, the Government’s response is far from bold and kicks many desirable actions into the long grass. While I am very disappointed, I am at least encouraged that the Government accepts that we have an obesity crisis which is caused by what foods are available, what they are made from, their affordability, their marketing and the rise of the out-of-home food sector.
“We intend to keep the pressure on Government to do a lot better for the sake of our children’s health.”
Our members, many of whom gave up their time and expertise to provide expert witness and contributions to the Lords inquiry, share their views:
Alice Wiseman, Vice President of the Association of Directors of Public Health, who gave evidence to the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee last year and spoke at the report’s launch, said:
“The Government’s recognition that the UK is in the midst of an obesity crisis caused by our increasingly unhealthy food environment is very welcome. So too is its re-commitment to the introduction of unhealthy food advertising restrictions, and sale of energy drinks.
“However, the report produced by the House of Lords Committee made a wide range of other recommendations which, if adopted, would support a multipronged approach to tackling this increasingly concerning public health emergency.
“The evidence is clear – obesity is responsible for at least 200,000 cases of cancer annually, makes people five times more likely to develop type two diabetes and puts immense strain on cardiovascular health. Living with obesity also increases the risk of breathing problems, musculoskeletal disorders and complications in pregnancy. It can also adversely impact mental health and, because our consumption habits are formed at an early age, it is vital that we do more to protect children and young people in particular, to reduce these alarming statistics.
“If the Government is serious about achieving its mission to prevent illness and disease instead of just treating it when it comes, we need to see a shift away from voluntary agreements with industry and introduce mandatory measures that protect us from the tactics industry use to shape our food and drink habits. There are a raft of measures that Directors of Public Health and their teams are working with partners in the local community to implement but these must be backed up by national action.
“The upcoming food strategy must address these – and other – issues and the Government must continue to bring about change that means everyone, regardless of where they live or how much money they earn, is able to access healthy food and drink and live a healthier life for longer.”
Dr Vicky Sibson, Director, First Steps Nutrition Trust says;
“The response to the House of Lords’ inquiry report recommendations on pregnancy, infancy and the early years dismisses serious weaknesses in current Government policy and implementation. We are particularly concerned by the suggestion that the current commercial baby food regulations are fit for purpose, when they are absolutely inadequate – out of date and lacking essential provisions including on sugar content and marketing and labelling. This is evident in the commercial offer on the supermarket shelves which still suffers the same issues that Public Health England reported on in 2019.
“If this Government are serious about their commitment to raise the healthiest generation of children ever and to prioritise prevention, they ought to revisit their response to the inquiry report recommendations addressing early years nutrition”
John Maingay, Director of Policy & Influencing, British Heart Foundation says:
“Despite acknowledging the role of our food environment in allowing everyone to eat healthily, the Government’s response to the House of Lords Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity lacks any concrete measures to address the problem.
“We need urgent action from Government now to bring down the UK’s high rates of obesity, which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, amongst other chronic illnesses. Without bold action to restrict the advertising, promotion and availability of unhealthy food and to make healthy food affordable for all, the Government’s mission to improve the nation’s health is doomed to fall short.”
Children’s Food Campaign Manager at Sustain Barbara Crowther says:
“Whilst we welcome the Government’s stated commitment to creating a healthier food environment, their response largely regurgitates what is already happening rather than expressing a hearty appetite for transformative new policy development.
“We’re particularly concerned that the response fails to acknowledge that there are in fact significant gaps in the regulation of products on the commercial infant feeding market, which are allowing high levels of free sugars as well as perpetuating very misleading marketing and labelling of products for babies and young children. We urge the Government to publish the revised commercial guidance it has already consulted upon, but also consider better regulation to protect and nourish babies and children from the earliest age.”
“We do welcome continued commitments to ban energy drinks, explore all routes to increase value and access to Healthy Start, and keep exploring further incentives for healthier food. These recommendations have been on the table for quite a long time, and so we encourage the Government to bring their proposals forward sooner rather than later.”
Jonathan Pauling, Chief Executive, Alexandra Rose Charity says:
“The Government has acknowledged that reshaping the food environment is essential to support people live healthier lives. However, its response fails to accept or act on the House of Lord’s Food, Diet and Obesity Committee’s recommendations needed to make this a reality.
“Instead, many crucial issues including improving access and affordability to healthy food for families on low incomes, have been deferred to future strategies, health missions, and task forces, with no clear plan of action. Families struggling with food insecurity cannot afford to wait, they need action now. We urge the Government to act with the urgency this issue demands.”
Kate Howard, Recipe for Change Campaign Coordinator, says:
“We are disappointed the Government has failed to announce stronger action in response to the well-informed and practical recommendations laid out in the Lords’ report. This was a critical opportunity to show they were serious about improving the food we eat, preventing more ill health and holding the food industry to account.
“Voluntary measures to reduce the unnecessarily high levels of sugar and salt in our food have not proven effective enough, yet today’s response lacks meaningful commitments to go further.
“Where previous leaders have expressed regret not acting sooner to protect public health, this Government has a chance to do better. The upcoming Food Strategy must not be another missed chance – it needs to deliver bold change to fix our broken food system.”
Fran Bernhardt, Sustain’s Commercial Determinants Coordinator says:
“The response is a real indictment of this government. It shows a total disregard for our children’s health and to the formidable expertise across the food policy sector.
“Instead of acting on the phenomenally strong evidence, the Government has instead talked up former commitments. They failed to acknowledge the world-leading precedent set by more than 20 local leaders working with Sustain to champion children’s health by switching the spotlight from unhealthy food advertising across the country over the past six years. Peer-reviewed research found this policy led to a reduction of 1000 weekly household calories from unhealthy foods and drinks resulting in substantial reductions in food related ill health such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Consequently, almost 40% of UK local governments are now consulting with Sustain determined to do the same across their local area.
“There are going to be many professionals in the food policy and public health sectors who do not feel listened to by the Government today. If this a sign of things to come under this administration, the UK’s children are in for a rocky ride. But it’s not too late to turn this around: we urge the Government to follow the evidence and champion children’s health by bringing in a total restriction of unhealthy food advertising as soon as possible.”
Dr Giota Mitrou, Executive Director of Research and Policy, World Cancer Research Fund, said:
“Obesity is a public health emergency, with England having one the highest rates of obesity among high-income nations.
“We were disappointed to see UK Government’s non-committal response to the findings of the report, which set out realistic and transformative recommendations to improve the nation’s diet. The Government’s lukewarm response, listing existing commitments, raises concerns about whether their upcoming National Food Strategy will, in the end, turn out half-baked.
“Around 40% of cancer cases could be avoidable. This is why it’s so vital for the Government to fulfil their manifesto pledge to put prevention at the heart of policies to keep people healthy and we look forward to rolling up our sleeves and working together to achieve this.”
Notes
‘Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system’ will be debated in the House on 28 March, 2025 at 10:00am.
The House of Lords has released a two-part podcast: “Unpacking the Evidence” which explores the issues in the Food, Diet and Obesity Committee’s report. In it, Baroness Walmsley, who chaired the committee shares testimony from experts throughout the committee’s inquiry about the scale of the problem and the policies needed to fix it