The investor coalition was formed last year to engage with the UK Government in support of the National Food Strategy’s recommendations.
It is led by Rathbone Greenbank Investments and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation and supported by 20 investors with combined total assets of £6 trillion under management or advice, as well as leading NGOs such as The Food Foundation, ShareAction and The Health Foundation.
Two-thirds of the UK population are now overweight or obese. The rising incidence of obesity-related disease is placing a ‘significant burden’ on an already stretched health service. Frontier Economics estimates that the current annual full cost of obesity in the UK is £58 billion.
In a statement members of the Investor Coalition on UK Food Policy said: “Using the cost-of-living crisis as a reason for rolling back the obesity strategy is misguided and short-term in nature as the inaction will ultimately hit the poorest in society hardest.
“While people have free choice in terms of their diets, they have to exercise that choice within a world shaped by the food industry – and in many ways, the consumer environment is designed to encourage people to eat more and more unhealthy foods. From product placement in TV programmes, to the ‘two-for-one promotions’ on unhealthy treats, consumers don’t exercise personal responsibility in a neutral environment.
“This has resulted in high streets, school canteens and supermarket shelves becoming flooded with food high in fat, sugar and salt; calorie for calorie, healthier foods are around three times more expensive than unhealthy foods. There is a clear correlation between poverty and obesity in the UK. Wherever children grow up, they should have the opportunity for a healthy start in life. Well-designed regulation is therefore needed to ensure individuals have equal access to healthy food.”