Supermarket price promotions targeting less healthy food, survey finds

UK supermarkets are being urged by a consumer group to play their part in fighting obesity as research reveals more than half their recent promotions were for junk food, sweets and fizzy drinks rather than healthy options.

Which? analysed data from price comparison website mySupermarket on special offers from Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose between April and June. Its researchers found that of the 77,165 promotions, 53% involved less healthy foods – those high in fat, saturates, sugar or salt – compared with healthier products (47%).

Comparing different food groups, Which? found that 52% of confectionery was on offer compared with only about a third of fresh fruit and vegetables. Seven in 10 (69%) soft drinks that fall into the higher sugar category (more than 8% sugar content) of the government’s proposed sugar tax were also on promotion.

The most promoted “less healthy” products were frozen chips and potatoes (78%), pizzas (70%) and soft drinks (70%), while the least promoted were within meat, dried fruit, fish and seafood categories (all 32%).

In a separate survey, 29% of people polled by Which? said they struggled to eat healthily as they thought healthier food was generally more expensive.

In a snapshot study of supermarkets, high street stores, clothes shops, chemists and toy shops carried out in May, Which? found that confectionery and other unhealthy snacks and fizzy drinks were still being promoted at the checkout.

Which? is calling for retailers to include more healthier options in their price promotions and remove less healthy foods from their checkouts. It is urging the government to publish its childhood obesity strategy as soon as possible and hold retailers to account for the promotion of less healthy foods if they fail to improve.

“Everybody has to play their part in the fight against obesity and people want supermarkets to offer more promotions on healthier foods and yet our research found the opposite,” said Alex Neill, director of campaigns and policy at Which?

“It is time for supermarkets to shift the balance of products they include in price promotions and for all retailers to get rid of temptation at the till by taking sweets off the checkout.”

Supermarkets claimed the findings were “broad brush” and failed to recognise huge strides made by the industry.

Paul Mills-Hicks, the food commercial director of Sainsbury’s, said: “Since 2014, we’ve been working hard to remove promotions and invest money in regular lower prices. In doing so, we have made hundreds of fresh and healthy products affordable all of the time and our fresh produce sales are growing as a result. We have also taken a big step by calling on the industry to remove multibuys, which we believe will lead to healthier diets and reduce household waste.”

Andrew Opie, the director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Supermarkets offer great value in all the products they sell and it has never been easier or more affordable to choose a balanced diet.”