Supermarkets slammed for playing on health fears

Health conscious consumers are being misled by supermarkets capitalising on increasing interest in 'healthy' eating options, according to a British consumer association.

The Consumers' Association reports in this week's issue of Health Which? that products from the UK's supermarket 'healthy ranges' are sometimes not as beneficial as their feel-good slogans might suggest.

Medical advice on healthy eating recommends that people limit their daily intake of fat, sugar and salt, as well as eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

However the report claims that some of the supermarket 'healthy' options do little to reduce levels of fat, sugar and salt compared to comparable standard products. It also suggests that slick packaging often hides products containing even more fat, salt and sugar than standard items, despite their premium prices.

In a study comparing the 'healthy' and standard products from nine retailers, the results showed that many so-called healthy foods had less fat but no reduction of sugar or salt levels. Some even have more sugar, or contain the same amount of salt as the equivalent standard versions.

For example, Marks & Spencer's 'healthy' stem ginger cookies contain 79 per cent less fat than their standard version, and slightly less salt. But they contain 50g per 100g of sugar - double the amount contained in standard cookies, according to the report.

Another finding revealed that the healthy versions of Sainsbury's spaghetti bolognese, Somerfield's sweet and sour chicken with rice and its natural yoghurt, Safeway's mushroom soup and Marks & Spencer's white bread all contain slightly more calories per 100g than the standard version.

Sainsbury's Be Good to Yourself low fat cheese spread contains 5g of fat per 100g, despite the Food Standards Agency recommendation that only products containing less than 3g of fat per 100g should be described as 'low fat'.

The report also added that some products already have low levels of fat so the 'healthy' option may not offer much of a saving. The Consumers' Association is advising people to check standard products first - especially as some of the so-called healthy alternatives give you more sugar and salt.

And the price difference between a healthy product and its standard version can be as much as 200 per cent, claims the new report.

Kaye McIntosh, editor of Health Which?, said: "Just over 40 per cent of the 776 shoppers we interviewed would pay more for foods carrying a 'healthy' logo - yet our research shows you could be paying extra for products which aren't as healthy as they make out.​

"Consumers need to check labels very carefully to be sure they are actually getting the health benefits and calorie savings they want. Don't be fooled by the claims made in the marketing hype,"​ she added.