Recipe for Change campaign
We're campaigning for a new levy on the food and drinks industry to make our food healthier
The Food Foundation has joined a coalition of key partners to launch the Recipe for Change campaign.
Families want access to healthy, affordable and convenient food. It should be easy for children to eat healthily but the current market is flooded with cheap, unhealthy options making it harder to do so.
We have an opportunity to build on the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to improve the healthiness of our food and in turn the health of children and families across the country.
The campaign is being led by Sustain, Obesity Health Alliance, The Food Foundation, Impact on Urban Health, British Heart Foundation and Action on Salt and Sugar and has the support of more than 30 organisations.
Recipe for Change is calling for:
- The government to build on the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy by introducing a new levy on unhealthy food.
- For business to change the recipe of the food and drink that they sell to make them healthier for all of us.
- To invest revenue raised from the levy in children’s health and access to good food.
Speaking about the campaign, Anna Taylor, Executive Director of The Food Foundation, said: "People on low incomes find it hardest to escape the impact of low quality food.
"Lower income households would need to spend 50% of their disposable income on food to meet the cost of the Government recommended healthy diet.
"The soft drinks industry levy has had a disproportionately positive effect on low income households, showing a sharper decrease in sugar purchases than in other households.
"It is vital that revenue from any new levy is used to improve access to nutritious foods to those who face the biggest barriers.
"Those on low incomes have the most to gain from Government taking action against companies driving ill health through unhealthy food."
For more details about the campaign read the launch report and the evidence briefing.
You can also listen to our podcast for a five-minute summary of everything you need to know about our call to action 👇
