Research conducted by GS1 UK has found that removing products high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) from prime locations in-store may have a far greater impact on the nation’s health than raising prices.
The omission of proposed HFSS taxes in the government’s response to the National Food Strategy and the recent decision to delay the ban on promotions for unhealthy food has attracted widespread criticism from health campaigners. However, the new rules banning HFSS products from aisle-ends and checkouts will still come into force this October.
GS1 UK surveyed more than 2,000 consumers to examine what would lead to people making healthier choices.
Almost two-thirds of those surveyed (61%) said that making HFSS products less visible in-store would have a direct influence on their decision to buy, while just 26% would be dissuaded from purchasing unhealthy products if only available at full price.
41% of consumers said they would be more likely to eat a product that had been reformulated to reduce its fat, sugar or salt content, revealing a willingness to swap familiar products for healthier alternatives.
While 68% agreed with the need for legislation to combat obesity, 53% said they would miss deals on HFSS products, highlighting the consumer conundrum of balancing health against the growing cost of living.
GS1 UK noted that transforming store layouts and providing healthier alternatives is likely to do more to promote better choices amongst consumers than introducing legislation that hits their wallets.
Implementing these changes still represents a considerable challenge, and the industry has recognised the need for increased collaboration to adapt to new legislative demands. To help businesses understand which products are affected and ensure compliance, GS1 UK launched a HFSS solution on its productDNA platform that enables manufacturers and retailers to work together to capture and share HFSS attributes.
The group revealed that in the first six weeks following launch, the number of products uploaded to productDNA increased by more than 26,000 and the number shared by 45,000, proving that when industry needs to find solutions to address challenges, collaboration gets it done.
“Our research not only proves that consumers want to make healthier choices, it also shows that the retail industry has the power to support them in making them,” said Sarah Atkins, CMO and membership director at GS1 UK.
“Despite continued uncertainty surrounding HFSS, we have seen unprecedented levels of collaboration since the legislation was first announced. By coming together, industry has made incredible progress in creating, capturing, and sharing accurate product data that will enable businesses to respond to changing legislative and consumer demands, both now and in the future.”
