Progress with industry in relation to salt reduction

Salt reduction is a priority for Government as outlined in the White Paper on Public Health. Working with the food industry and other stakeholders, the Food Standards Agency has a target to reduce the salt intake of the population to 6g per person per day by 2010.

Since 2003, the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health have been working with the food industry to secure reductions in the amount of salt in a wide range of foods. This has focused particularly on processed foods as these contribute about 75% to people's salt intakes.

The Agency welcomes the plans already submitted by 70 organisations and companies. These indicate that the food industry is making positive progress on salt reduction, and is continuing to work in this area.

Many of these organisations have recently provided us with an update on their salt reduction plans, details of which are included in a table devised to set out these commitments.

The table gives details of the work that the organisations have undertaken so far and their future plans on salt reduction.

It includes information on the salt levels that they are working towards and an indication of whether these are figures set by the Agency or by the organisation itself.

The table detailing the salt reduction commitments can be viewed from the summary table of commitments to salt reduction, at the link below.

The Agency is encouraged by the range of organisations that continue to commit to salt reduction across their product ranges and in particular, those companies who have firm plans to meet the FSA Salt Targets.

The Agency will continue to press for commitments from those organisations and companies that have not submitted plans, or not indicated that any significant reductions are being planned, in order to help deliver the Agency's target on salt reduction.