Press Release

Food manufacturers must step up to the plate and reduce salt levels, says heart charity

18 May 2009

In response to Food Standards Agency's new guidelines on voluntary salt reduction targets, Alex Callaghan, Policy Officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said:

"While it is fantastic the nation is reducing its salt intake, we are still moving at a snail's pace. At the current rate of reduction, it would take us 15 years to reach the 6g per day target, putting another generation at risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

"Food manufacturers must step up to the plate and do all that they can to reduce the vast amounts of salt we consume in everyday products, such as cereals and ready meals.

"As well as reducing salt, they can also help busy shoppers in supermarkets to make healthier choices by using a food labelling system that incorporates traffic lights, GDAs, and the words high, medium or low."