Lords committee hears further evidence from the food industry on what drives trends in diet and obesity; and separately from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) on its evaluation of Ultra Processed Foods

Monday 29 April 2024

On Monday 29 April, the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee will hear further evidence from representatives of the food industry in a session discussing the role the food industry plays in establishing trends in diet and obesity including marketing strategies promoting hyper-palatable food and developing effective regulatory measures.

The session starts at 2.45pm and will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster.

Giving evidence will be:

• James Mayer, Chief Executive Officer (UK and Ireland), Danone;
• Sam Fulton, Group Director of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, Nomad Foods; and
• Julian Metcalfe, Founder and CEO, Itsu.

Questions will include:

• In your view, what drives the food industry to promote unhealthy foods?
• Some witnesses to the committee have suggested issuing government guidelines against the consumption of ultra-processed foods. How should food manufacturers respond to this?
• What is your view on concerns that reformulating processed foods to reduce fat, salt and sugar, may leave such foods still hyper-palatable and therefore promote over-consumption?
• In your view, what would be the impact of taxes on unhealthy foods and subsidies for healthier foods?
• What is your view on protecting diet and obesity policymaking from industry influence like policymaking on tobacco?

In a separate session, the committee will hear from the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) on its statement on processed foods and health, published in July 2023, which includes an evaluation of classifications such as Ultra Processed Foods.

The session will start at 4.00pm and will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster.

Giving evidence will be:

• Professor Ian Young, Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

Questions will include:

• What is the evidence base for the UK’s current approach to dietary guidelines based on nutritional intake?
• Why has the updated version of the government’s Nutrient Profiling Model produced in 2018 not yet been implemented?
• SACN’s statement on processed foods and health said that systematic reviews “consistently reported that increased consumption of (ultra)-processed foods was associated with increased risks of adverse health outcomes”. Should government guidelines be issued against the consumption of ultra-processed foods?
• What is SACN’s assessment of the mechanisms by which ultra-processed foods may cause adverse health outcomes (such as palatability, energy density and additives)? What potential mechanisms should be prioritised for further research?