Published: 12 October 2005
Check for Salt
New research shows that 22 million people in Britain are now trying to cut down the amount of salt they eat - an increase of nearly six million since September 2004.
Most people who are cutting back on salt have stopped adding salt to their food at the table or when cooking and sales of household salt have dropped by 10% in a year.
Research shows that increasingly people are turning to black pepper, herbs and spices, instead of salt to add flavour to their food and retail sales of salt have dropped from £23m in 2003 to £20m in 2005.
But two out of three people do not know that they should be eating no more than 6g of salt a day and only a third of adults are looking at labels for the salt content.
Three quarters of our daily salt intake comes from processed foods and with men eating an average of 11g of salt a day and women an average of 8g a day, we are all eating too much salt.
Eating too much salt is a significant risk factor in developing high blood pressure, which causes or contributes to more than 170,000 deaths a year in England.
The cost to the NHS of prescriptions for reducing high blood pressure is around £840m a year and studies show that reducing salt in the diet can lower blood pressure within four weeks.
The FSA has now launched the next stage of a campaign to encourage consumers to reduce their salt intake by checking food labels and eating no more than 6g of salt a day.
Deirdre Hutton, Chair of the Food Standards Agency said:
"It's a great first step that so many people now know that too much salt is bad for them and are cutting down on the amount they add to food.
But if we all check food labels and choose the products containing the least salt, it will help us ensure that we all eat no more than 6g a day.
In the past year more food companies have started to reduce the amount of salt in processed foods. But we need more of them to do the same if we are to reach our goal of reducing the UK's salt consumption to 6g by 2010.
The Agency, working with industry and consumers can make a real impact on people's health."
The Agency has launched a television & poster advertising campaign using animated ready meals to illustrate to consumers that by comparing labels and choosing products with the lower salt content, they can control how much salt they eat with the aim of eating no more than 6g per day.
Since late 2003 the Agency has been working with retailers and manufacturers to reduce the amount of salt in processed foods, and has received more than 50 commitments from organisations to reduce salt in a variety of food.
Various industry organisations are supporting the Food Standards Agency in getting its campaign messages across.
For example:
Heinz is encouraging consumers to check the label with the flash 'Check out my salt levels!' on the front of tins for key brands.
Tesco is showing the FSA ad on Tesco TV.
Sainsbury's will be distributing the Agency's 'Salt-o-meters' and leaflets to its local food advisors and
Asda is using Agency messages on its shelf 'barkers'.
In August 2005 the Agency launched a consultation regarding setting targets for reducing salt in key food categories (closes 24 October 2005) .
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