Open Letter to the Government, Food & Hospitality Industries
Why are people with food allergies, diabetes, and other special dietary needs being systematically ignored by the hospitality industry?
My name is Ron Cook, and I am a retired food industry technical manager, BRCGS auditor, and father to a 12-year-old Type 1 diabetic daughter. I actively campaign for individuals with diabetes and other special dietary needs.
For years, I have been outraged by the lack of comprehensive, actually any, nutritional data availability in most food venues—cafes, restaurants, street vendors, ice-cream vans, and more. While allergen information has rightly received substantial legislative attention and awareness, the same cannot be said for other groups with serious dietary needs, such as diabetics, coeliacs, individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), heart disease, kidney disease patients, and those suffering from Food Hypersensitivity Syndrome or intolerances.
Why the Disparity?
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), fewer than 10 deaths annually occur in the UK from food-related allergenic reactions. Yet allergen information continues to be rigorously legislated for, enforced, and promoted, whereas other vulnerable groups continue to suffer in silence.
Consider the statistics:
1.??????? Diabetes: ?The National Diabetes Audit revealed that up to 24,000 people with diabetes in England die prematurely each year from avoidable causes, many due to poor dietary management. The charity Diabetes UK emphasises the critical need for nutritional strategies to manage diabetes and reduce premature deaths – there are now 5 million diabetics in the UK.
2.??????? Coeliac Disease: Coeliac UK states that undiagnosed coeliac disease can lead to serious complications, including malnutrition, osteoporosis, and even certain cancers, contributing to hundreds of deaths annually. Recent research highlights the need for dietary balance and nutritional counselling among people with coeliac disease.
3.??????? Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH): ?The British Heart Foundation estimates that FH affects 1 in 250 people in the UK. Untreated, it dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, leading to premature death in many cases. Proper dietary management is essential in mitigating these risks.
4.??????? Heart Disease: Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the UK. Unhealthy eating is a significant contributing factor. The British Heart Foundation stresses the importance of informed dietary choices to prevent and manage heart disease.
5.??????? Kidney Disease: According to Kidney Care UK, over 3 million people in the UK are at risk of kidney disease. Poor diet can exacerbate this condition, leading to severe complications and death—Kidney Research UK advocates for targeted dietary regulations to manage kidney disease and improve health outcomes.
6.??????? Food Hypersensitivity Syndrome and Unusual Intolerances: Individuals with Food Hypersensitivity Syndrome suffer from a range of unusual intolerances, including reactions to foods like mushrooms, kiwi, strawberries, and more. These ingredients are often hidden in sauces and other prepared foods, making it nearly impossible for sufferers to avoid them. Additionally, processing aids in foods, which by law do not need to be included on an ingredient list, and undetected allergens and ingredients in drinks and alcohol further exacerbate these problems.
The Cost of Complacency
Every food producer relies on detailed ingredient specifications from their suppliers, making it entirely feasible to provide comprehensive nutritional data to consumers. Why, then, is this not being done universally? Why does the hospitality sector continue to overlook the fiscal advantages of catering to these large groups of vulnerable people?
It is also a fact that micro-businesses are exempt from putting nutritional data onto their products. Why? Their foods, by this exemption, are potential death traps for vulnerable people.
Restaurants, cafes, delis, street vendors, and even ice-cream vans have the opportunity to convert families impacted by diabetes, coeliac disease, FH, FHS, heart disease, kidney disease, and food hypersensitivity syndrome from one-time visitors into loyal customers – on top of these you also have events catering, trains, airlines and many more. Providing accurate ingredient and nutritional information can significantly enhance customer trust and generate positive word-of-mouth advertising. Yet, the industry remains blind to these potential benefits.
A Plea for Action
I have repeatedly contacted major supermarkets, national newspapers, and government officials, including my MP Robert Jenrick and ministers. With few responses and even fewer actions, it feels like shouting into the void.
Specific Demands:
1.??????? The appointment of a Commissioner or Minister for Nutrition overseeing all aspects of food from farm to fork based in and working from a dedicated government department – would immediately improve the disparate system we currently face.
2.??????? Implementing a national nutritional information database, a ‘single source of truth ‘, will provide industry, hospitality, health care professionals, and the public with up-to-date and accurate data on ingredients and nutrition.
3.??????? The implementation of comprehensive labelling legislation requiring all food products,? whether prepacked, PPDS, loose or on a plate in a restaurant or at a catered event, to include ingredient and nutritional information in a format that can be understood by all, especially those partially sighted or autistic.
4.??????? Detailed Allergen Transparency: Food businesses must clearly label all potential allergens, including unusual intolerances such as mushrooms, kiwi, and strawberries. (see the 2024 FSA PAFA report)
5.??????? The disclosure of processing aids, allergens, and ingredients in foods and drinks, including alcohol, must be made to protect vulnerable consumers.
6.??????? The hospitality industry must receive training on the importance and implementation of detailed food labelling to ensure compliance and understanding.
7.??????? All food businesses must be held accountable for the safety and well-being of their consumers. The government should enforce penalties for non-compliance.
8.??????? Removing the current micro-business exemption means that all food product manufacturers must provide all ingredient, allergen, and nutritional information regardless of size. Consumer safety takes precedence over company size.
领英推荐
The Human Toll
Managing diabetes, coeliac disease, FH, heart disease, kidney disease, or food hypersensitivity syndrome is relentless. It’s 24/7, 365 days a year. It involves mental and emotional strain, endless medical appointments, and constant vigilance over every morsel of food consumed – these groups have a combined total of over 55,000 deaths per annum - ?proper ingredient and nutritional labelling could alleviate a considerable portion of this burden. Is asking for the essential information required to live a healthy life too much?
Accountability and Responsibility
Food businesses must be aware of the potential harm they can cause by providing inadequate information. They are accountable for ensuring their consumers’ safety. The government must enforce legislation that requires comprehensive ingredient and nutritional labelling for all food products—prepacked, loose or served on a plate.
Call to Action
We must prioritise health over profits, knowledge over ignorance, training over incompetence, and commitment over complacency. It’s time for the hospitality industry and government to fulfil their responsibility to protect vulnerable populations.
The labelling legislation needs to evolve into a simple format: if it’s food, label it, regardless of whether it’s prepacked, loose, or served on a plate.
References
Chef, Sustainable Food Innovator, Consultant, Speaker & Mentor
7 个月Hi Ron, I have an interesting project that might support this in some way.
Retired as Technical Manager (D.F. Dickens (Dalziel) Ltd.) Campaigning for diabetics.
7 个月Gayle, thank you for the reshare.
Absolutely! Comprehensive ingredient and nutritional labeling is crucial for public health. Food businesses and the government must prioritize consumer safety and enforce clear labeling standards. It's not too much to ask for the essential information needed to live a healthy life. That's why at Brand-Mart we make sure to put consumer safety first.
Safety Advisor at Sapphire utility solutions.
7 个月I completely agree and I hope we all agree to help small businesses. The price of a restaurant meal should go up by about 50% to help fund the extra cost in staffing costs etc to produce all this information, in an already understaffed and overstretched industry.
Ron Cook, your message is crucial for improving the nation’s health, reducing confusion, and enhancing health education. A key point I would add is the need for local public health directors to have more authority, including improving health literacy among local children and adults. This initiative requires appointing a full-time officer to connect with various local communities. The Labour Government is committed to devolving decision-making to local authorities and City Mayors. Community involvement and collaboration with health secretaries of state, such as Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, are essential to this effort.