BRC takes swipe at Which?

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has hit out at consumer lobby group Which? for failing to acknowledge that British retailers have responded to the demand for healthier food and better nutritional information.

The BRC’s comments follow the latest Which? report, published this week, into the levels of fat and salt in ready meals. It criticises retailers for not going far enough to reformulate foods.

Chief policy adviser at Which? Sue Davies says: “Going to the supermarket for a ready meal has become a lucky dip as some manufacturers are still insisting on cramming their meals with salt and fat without making it obvious for shoppers what they’re really eating.”

But the BRC says that it is “disappointed” that Which? does not recognise a number of initiatives put in place by retailers across product development, labelling and promotion.

BRC director general Kevin Hawkins (pictured) says retailers “deserve credit” for being “leaders in promoting healthy eating”. He adds: “Some foods are higher in fat and salt than others. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be sold. It means they should be consumed sensibly within a balanced diet. To analyse individual products in isolation is far too simplistic.”