Big food brands fail to commit to Change4Life

LONDON - Health campaigners have criticised Business4Life members, including Mars, Coca-Cola and Cadbury, for failing to sign up to the government's anti-obesity movement Change-4Life nearly a year after the campaign launch.

Change4Life
Change4Life

While companies such as Unilever, Kellogg and Tesco have become official partners of the campaign, several others in the coalition are yet to sign up to the Department of Health's terms of engagement.

Companies that fail to do so are barred from using official branding and from referring to themselves as a Change4Life partner.

Richard Watts, the campaigns director of Sustain, which runs the Children's Food ±±¾©Èü³µpk10, questioned the companies' motives.

He added that those in question, which also include Associated British Foods and Britvic, were either 'lending their name' to Business4Life or intended to embark on activity outside the campaign's rules.

Business4Life marketing director Jane Holdsworth said companies sign when they are ready to commit to an activity.

'A lot of them are evaluating how they can incorporate Change4Life into their activities. Signing up to Business4Life signals their intent to support the government,' she added.

Business4Life

  • Business4Life's 38 members have pledged to make a £200m in-kind contribution.
  • Change4Life has 96 members, including McCain, Asda, Co-Op, Costcutter and Kerry Foods.
  • The government has committed to spending £75m on marketing Change4Life over the next three years.
  • Source: Business4Life

 

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