Actions Speak Louder Than Words
27 June 2023
An Open Letter from the Scottish Obesity Alliance to Public Health Minister Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government says placing wellbeing at the heart of our economy is a top priority – so our policies should put health over corporations whose actions undermine our values.
Today the Scottish Obesity Alliance, along with many of our members, sent an open letter to Minister for Public Health Jenni Minto calling for legislation that protects against promotions of unhealthy food options.
People in Scotland should be able to access delicious, affordable healthy food, regardless of how much money they have. Nobody should be forced to choose between budget and health because of the unhealthy options that are put on sale.
Some food corporations maintain that they have our best interests at heart and claim to need time and consideration to change, but they have known for decades that their practices are harming health. We ask the Minister to treat them based on their actions, rather than their words. And their inaction has shown us that they will not change voluntarily unless policy is passed.
We urge the Government to progress with the introduction of regulations at the earliest opportunity and solidify a commitment to a wellbeing economy where profit and health are in tandem.
Read the full letter below:
To Minister Jenni Minto,
We believe that everyone in Scotland deserves to live in an environment designed to promote their health, free from marketing and promotions focused on unhealthy options.
But some food corporations have known for decades that much of the food they promote harms people’s wellbeing. These corporations say that people should be free to make their own choices when it comes to buying food, but then they oppose restrictions on marketing that is designed to influence those choices. They say we need more evidence that restricting promotions of this food would create change, but they continue to offer these promotions as they know they’re effective. They say promotions help people with low incomes by making food more affordable, but these promotions often put cheap, unhealthy foods in the spotlight, crowding out healthier alternatives and forcing people to choose between budget and health. To avoid changing their ways, these corporations continue to insist that health is in opposition to profit, and governments feel that they must balance the two when seeking to implement consumer protections.
But we know that it’s possible for businesses to put health at the centre of their practices, without sacrificing profits in the long term. Imagine where we would be if these corporations’ actions matched their words. Their promotions would place healthy options at centre stage, so that they remain accessible even in the current climate. Reformulation would be at the top of their priority list, so the food they offer is truly nourishing and wouldn’t need to be restricted. They wouldn’t target children with any unhealthy marketing, because they would be committed to helping children grow up healthy. We wouldn’t need to hear so much about how they care about Scotland’s health, because we would be able to see it in their actions. These corporations have had more than enough time to change, but their inaction has shown us that they will not change voluntarily unless policy is passed.
The Scottish Government says placing wellbeing at the heart of our economy is a top priority – so our policies should put health over corporations whose actions undermine our values. We support the introduction of restrictions on promotions. We urge you to progress with the introduction of regulations at the earliest opportunity and solidify a commitment to a wellbeing economy where profit and health are in tandem.
We would be delighted if you were willing to meet with the Scottish Obesity Alliance and some of its members to allow them to highlight to you their support for action in this area.
Signatories:
Shona Hilton, Chair, Scottish Obesity Alliance
Lorraine Tulloch, Programme Lead, Obesity Action Scotland
Mandy Morgan, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Pantry Network
Claire Stevens, Chief Executive, Voluntary Health Scotland
Professor Graham MacGregor, Chair, Action on Sugar
Mrs. Liz Stockley, Chief Executive, British Dietetic Association
Robert Donald, Chair of Scottish Council, British Dental Association
Professor Andrew Elder, President, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Susan Smith, Head of Communications, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Frances Bain, Mission Manager, Nesta Scotland
Dr Sorcha Hume, Public Affairs Manager, Cancer Research UK