The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is calling on ministers to shift their attention from grocers and clamp down on takeaways to tackle obesity.
The government is being urged to ramp up efforts to reduce obesity, including targetting further fast food businesses, amid fears large, salty portions are driving the UK’s obesity crisis, according to The Telegraph.
Supermarkets have already been banned from placing products high in salt, fat and sugar (HFSS) in prominent places in-store and are required to put nutrition information labels on most pre-packed foods.
However, the trade association claimed many companies were avoiding scrutiny when it came health, such as local takeaways, which can sell meals with over double a consumer’s maximum daily salt intake without a requirement to provide calorie information.
BRC director of food and sustainability Andrew Opie said: “Many takeaway establishments are actually not part of a bigger chain.
“At least larger food takeaways now have to display calories. But your local chicken shop, they are not engaging in these areas.”
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The executive added that current legislation on reducing obesity was limited to a “very narrow part of the food industry” which meant smaller restaurants, smaller cafes and cinemas could fly under the radar.
Opie said: “We understand there will be more challenges for some smaller food businesses, but that in itself shouldn’t be an excuse not to be included.”
He added this could mean the government “needs to give support to small and medium businesses to help them on their choices so around how much oils or salt are in something, or the sizes of portions”.
The news comes as the BRC reported poor weather and an earlier Easter had led to disappointing retail sales for April.
The trade body said retail sales were down 4% for the four weeks 31 March to 27 April, compared to a growth of 5.1% the same time last year.
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