Under the name ‘Recipe for Change’, a group of 45 organisations have pulled together to send a message to government and industry: that people want their health to be prioritised over corporate profit.
YouGov polling shows that 47% of Brits think it’s harder eat a balanced diet now than 20 years ago, with a food system that makes unhealthy choices cheap, prominent and hard to avoid, while healthier options remain too expensive for many families.
This polling is part a new Citizens’ Charter launched by the group that urges the public to sign a collective call to ministers to take tougher action on the food industry.
Across those who say it’s hard to eat a balanced diet, 81% point to rising food prices as a core reason, with 70% saying it’s because less healthy food is cheaper than its counterpart.
Moreover, as many as 63% believe supermarkets and manufacturers have increased prices by ‘more than necessary’ to boost profits.
The polling shows public scepticism over voluntary action from the food industry, with 79% saying they are not confident companies will reduce the levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat in their products without government intervention.
A total of 79% say the government should be doing more to make healthy food affordable, and 84% say the businesses themselves should be doing more.
Almost three quarters of the public (73%) say they would back legislation to regulate sugar and saturated fat levels in food, with similarly high support for regulations on the levels of salt in food (70%).
“Food companies are incredibly good at innovation when there’s a profit in it, and I see no reason why that same drive can’t be turned towards making healthier food the easy, affordable option. Rising costs and global pressures will be cited as reasons to resist change, but clearer rules benefit everyone, including industry,” contended Kate Howard, children’s food campaign coordinator at Sustain.
This is despite regulation already coming into force around HFSS which restricts multibuy deals, placement in stores, and advertising on television and online.
Food and Drink Federation member products now have 31% less salt, 30% less sugar and 24% fewer calories, compared to a decade ago. In 2024 alone, F&B businesses invested around £180 million in developing healthier products.
Still, it appears the public wants more action; with the polling also revealing support (61%) for a system wherein companies that sell products high in salt, sugar, and/or saturated fat are required to help fund the costs of treating ill health related to such products.
The call from this 45-strong coalition, which includes the Food Foundation, and the Obesity Health Alliance, comes as child obesity continues to grip the nation – especially among those in the most deprived areas. According to Recipe for Change, by the time they reach their first year of school, children in the most deprived fifth of the population are almost twice as likely to be living with obesity as those in the least deprived fifth.
While families are struggling with rising bills and food-related ill health persists, backers of the Citizen Charter argue there is too little accountability – and it is children who are paying the price.
“With the 10 Year Health Plan and the forthcoming food strategy, government has a major opportunity to supercharge its moonshot to end the obesity epidemic by creating a food system that makes healthier choices easier, more affordable and more accessible for every family,” said Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance.
The group is now looking to gather signatures before the Charter is handed in to MPs in Westminster this autumn. The hope is to underscore public concerns and support for stronger regulation across the food system, including as part of the implementation of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan and Government’s Food Strategy.
“The people across the UK who developed the calls in this charter showed just how frustrated they are and how much they want change. That’s why we’re urging everyone to add their name. The more people who sign, the harder it is for government and industry to look the other way,” added Howard.
