White Paper an industry tonic

Your leader (MW last week) is an understandable reaction from the marketing industry to the Health White Paper, but it is not a helpful one.

Rather than looking at what the paper will prevent, surely we should focus on the opportunities it presents.

The Government talks about “creating a demand for healthy choices” but it is impossible to achieve this without marketers, advertisers and PR professionals creating and delivering messages. We need to see the policy for what it is: a call for information, clarity and communication from the food and drink sector.

We are advising clients in the hospitality, food and health sectors that the White Paper provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set the terms of trade in the public health debate. In that sense, it should be welcomed.

Richard Mollet

Associate director

Fleishman-Hillard

London WC2