Draft recommendations on promotion of lower-fat products including dairy products, fat and saturated fat reductions for meat products, and portion size availability for savoury snacks (Scotland)

The Agency’s final saturated fat and energy intake programme was published in February 2008. This programme outlines the actions needed to help consumers reduce saturated fat intakes and balance the amount of calories they consume with their needs.

The programme identifies four areas for action:

• improving consumer awareness and understanding of healthy eating with particular focus on the impact of saturated fat on health
• encouraging promotion and uptake of healthier options
• encouraging accessibility of smaller food portion sizes
• encouraging voluntary reformulation of mainstream products to reduce saturated fat and energy

All four areas require the Agency to work in partnership with its stakeholders, including health departments, food industry (which encompasses the whole food chain including food producers, manufacturers, retailers, suppliers and caterers) and other non-government organisations. Each area is discussed in greater detail in the final programme – see link below.

This consultation focuses on the reformulation, promotion and portion size elements of the programme and proposes voluntary recommendations for industry for reductions in levels of fat and saturated fat in meat products, increased availability of smaller single-portion savoury snacks, and increased promotion of lower-fat products including dairy products.

The food industry periodically changes ingredients and processes and the aim of these proposals is to develop guidance to indicate the direction for these changes to achieve improved public health.

In addition, the Agency is consulting on the scope to amend the compositional legislation for ice cream and cheddar cheese. The current Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (FLR) do not allow reformulated versions of these products that contain less than the specified fat contents to be marketed as ice cream and cheddar cheese. We are aware of the potential disincentive this is for food companies and that this has the potential to be a source of confusion for consumers. This consultation discusses potential amendments to the controls laid down in the FLR to remove these barriers. The intended effect is to allow industry greater flexibility and offer consumers a wider range of healthier options that are named in a more meaningful way and easier to understand.

This is the second public consultation seeking views on draft voluntary recommendations to industry. The first consultation on draft recommendations for saturated fat and added sugar reductions, increased availability of smaller single-portion sizes, and increased marketing of healthier versions for biscuits, cakes, pastries, buns, chocolate confectionery and soft drinks closed on 3 November 2009. A summary of responses and the finalised recommendations will be published next year.

Each of the proposals is discussed in greater detail in the main body of the consultation document.

We are seeking your views on the questions posed in the boxes that are outlined throughout the consultation document and the impact assessment. A summary of these questions can be found on page 22 – see the full consultation package via the link below.

Once the consultation is completed, comments will be taken into account and the final recommendations published.

Responses are required by close on 9 March 2010. Please state, in your response, whether you are responding as a private individual or on behalf of an organisation/company (including details of any stakeholders your organisation represents).

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation, which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. The FSA will publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name. Disclosure of any other personal data would be made only upon request for the full consultation responses. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Data protection form (Word)

Data protection form (pdf)

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator by email: consultationcoordinator@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk