Local stores to support govt health campaign

Public health minister Gillian Merron has announced details of a new initiative that will see corner shops across the UK working with the local NHS to promote positive eating habits.

Following a successful pilot scheme in the north east, the campaign will make fresh fruit and vegetables more widely available to communities nationwide.

David Soskin, chairman of mySupermarket.co.uk, said: "Given the cost to the national health service of obesity, I think every encouragement must be given to switch to healthier choices.

"I think there is still quite a lot of ignorance in the population at large about the dangers of overdoing it with some types of food."

Earlier this month, the Food Standards Agency outlined plans for its new approach to front-of-pack (FOP) labelling.

Currently, the majority of UK food manufacturers and retailers are voluntarily using some form of FOP labelling, but many do not use the recommended traffic light system.

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