FDII Presentation to Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children – Paul Kelly, Director & Shane Dempsey, Head of Consumer Foods, FDII

October 2012

The Irish Agri-food sector

1 in 8 jobs in the Irish economy are dependent on the sector

Employs 50,000 directly, 60,000 indirectly and support 120,000 farming families

690 enterprises (94% are SMEs) Supplies the majority of Ireland’s €14bn grocery sector €9bn exports in 2011, target of €12bn by 2020 2/3 of indigenous exports €11.5bn purchases in the domestic economy Purchases 90% of Ireland’s agricultural output brand and reputation are key to our past and future

success – must be protected

Food industry’s Commitment

Food industry takes its responsibility seriously Reformulation (80% of members) Increasing choice/options for consumers Nutrition information on pack: GDAs Compliance marketing and advertising codes

guidelines Funding healthy initiatives Engaging with state agencies and EU bodies

such as the EU Platform

Reformulation efforts

A survey carried out by FDII in 2012 into member’s reformulation and choice initiatives over the last three years showed:

- 82% of respondents had reformulated their products

- 76% had reduced salt in their products

- 50% had reduced saturated fat in their product

- 58% had reduced sugar in their products

- 60% launched ‘alternative’ products

- 83% of companies advertise these ‘alternative’ products

- 68% have portions size information on their products

- 46% have introduced reduced portion versions of their products

- FSAI reported that trans fats levels within the population are within dietary guidelines

Solving obesity requires a ‘whole of society’ response

FDII is asking Government to build a collaborative platform with industry to address this issue - Livewell Project

We believe that working together all stakeholders make a bigger impact in reducing obesity

Food companies have a strong track record in taking individual and collective actions in the health area eg salt reduction

Requests that obesity related policies are evidence-based, part of a holistic response and do not damage the food sector or disproportionately target particular categories

IUNA data should from the basis of future solution

Livewell Initiative: Pillars

FDII’s Livewell PlatformAll members sign-up to overarching platform pledge

PILLAR 1: REFORMULATION & CHOICE

PILLAR 2: NATIONAL WORKPLACE WELL-BEING

PILLAR 3: RESEARCH PILLAR 4:CATEGORY COMMITMENTS

Companies provide info on reformulation activities:

Salt, Sugar, Sat/Trans Fats, Additives, fortification, choice and portion size

Information is collated on a category basis

Information made public to FSAI

Information reported on a yearly basis

NHF carrying out a root and branch of their WWB material

An enhanced WWB campaign will be rolled out nationally in 2013/14

NHF are engaging with IBEC to ensure that WWB is promoted through its membership.

FDII aims to select a sample of text companies in the public, private and SME sector to roll out interventions amongst the workforce

FDII will engage research institution to research how to increase physical activity levels in primary schools and formulate a health literacy campaign

FDII will work with product associations to identify relevant initiatives that can be incorporated into Livewell

Eg BCI have created a policy on vending machines in secondary schools

FSAI evaluates progress on a yearly basis

Livewell Steering committee will create a series of health metrics to measure the WWB impact on target employees

FDII will engage IBEC’s IR/HR division to establish employment metrics to measure impact of the WWBC

The metrics committee will establish health metrics to measure impact amongst target groups

Market Research company will identify and measure attitudes and behaviours nationally and amongst target populations

Once identified, these initiatives can have metrics created for their measurement

Solutions: What the experts say

Childhood obesity is a hugely complex multi-faceted problem that requires a ‘whole of society’ response

“The scale of the challenge to prevent obesity is magnified by the complex nature of the condition. The multiplicity of causes of obesity argues against a dependence on fragmented solutions to address the issue; and too heavy a focus on one part of the obesity system – on one population group, for example – is not likely to bring about the scale of change required.” –Foresight Report, 2008

John Dalli Member of the European Commission, responsible for Health and Consumer Policy: None of us, however, is able to reverse the obesity trend in isolation. We need to work together:

policy makers, educators, universities, healthcare professionals, civil society, and industry. Developing effective partnerships is key.

It’s important to work with industry to tackle obesity/need for an integrative solution to the problem with the Government, industry and individuals having a role – Professor Donal O’Shea

Obesity Map

Factors affecting obesity at individual level

Principles of a solution

The following principles are consistently advocated by experts including many who have attended this committee:

- Strategy for societal response required- Harnessing all stakeholders - Industry is an effective partner but can’t operate as a scapegoat

- Interventions should be long-term and sustained- Targeted at ‘risk’ groups- Broad national policies can increase inequality- For childhood obesity, early interventions aimed at prevention are key- physical activity has a major role to play- information and education are key

Reformulation case study: Salt Reduction

Food companies are constantly reformulating products based on scientific advice, in addition to increase ranges and portion sizes of products for consumers

In 2004, FSAI and FDII began work on salt-reduction initiatives across the industry

Some average reductions:

Category Reduction

Bread - 20%

Soups and Sauces -25% in some categories

Breakfast Cereals -48% since 1998

Snack Foods -19% in crisps

GDAs

Industry’s Positive Initiatives: GDA Labelling

Since 2006, FDII involved in initiative to place GDAs on labelling and spent €400K in 2008/9 on public awareness

FSAI survey 2009 showed consumers preferred GDA

Penetration 95% own brand, 83% on branded goods

Food Advertising/Marketing to Children

Steps taken to reduce ‘exposure’ voluntarily – exposure during children’s programmes on Irish TV from 36% to 7%

Over 98% compliance with existing BAI and ASAI guidelines and internal codes

Many FDII members are committed to the EU advertising pledge – Ireland has nearly 100% compliance across media

FDII engaging with BAI to try to create an advertising model

that is suitable the Irish population’s health profile

Vending Machines

There are no vending machines in primary schools Established guidelines for vending machines in

secondary schools in 2005 All relevant FDII members compliant with guidelines Installation of vending machines and product-mix are

school-led Members consult with school management in stocking

products Majority of schools stocked by 3rd party vendors

Taxation: Affects wealth not health

Taxation is regressive Marginal impacts on diets (Tiffin 2012) Food taxation rejected in Denmark and Italy Ireland has high rate of tax on soft drinks: VAT 23% Contribution of soft drinks to calorie intake is 2-3% 60% of Irish population don’t consume soft drinks Measure will be viewed as a ‘stealth tax’ Unproven in reducing obesity

Summary

FDII respectfully requests that this committee:

- recommends that Government leads a whole of society approach to childhood obesity

- engages with industry’s proposed Livewell Project as part of this response

- avoids policies that are not evidence-based and target food companies

Education and information must be the basis for policy interventions

Irish food companies are ready to play their part