Food and drink manufacturers are committed to encouraging consumers to improve their own health through a balanced diet and active lifestyle. The food industry has undertaken to help consumers control their sodium intake by reducing the amount of salt in processed food – without losing the important properties of salt such as its role as a preservative. The industry is working with the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health to help achieve sodium reductions.

In 2003, an industry-wide programme was introduced to reduce salt in those foods, identified by the Food Standards Agency, as making a significant contribution to sodium intake. These foods, supplied by manufacturers, retailers and caterers were bread, breakfast cereals, meat products, soups, sauces, ready-meals and pre-packed sandwiches.

For their part, manufacturers have demonstrated sodium reductions made in recent years and set out future commitments, subject to consumer acceptance:

Bread – sodium levels have reduced by around 25% since the late 1980s and recently by a further 5% in sliced bread.
Breakfast cereals - sodium was reduced by around 22% between 1998 and 2003, and the sodium reduction programme is reviewed each year.
Soups and sauces – sodium was reduced by 10% in 2003 and further reductions are planned over the next two years.
Meat products – the industry announced an action plan in 2004 to further reduce sodium.
Biscuits and cakes – different reductions can be made depending on the specific recipe. Salt reductions of up to 20% have been achieved with some products.
Savoury snacks – sodium levels have reduced significantly in the last ten years; for example, potato crisps are 25% lower in sodium.
Dairy and dairy snacks – some significant reductions in sodium have been achieved.
Reduced salt products are available as an alternative to the standard products in some cases.
The catering industry, working with the Food Standards Agency, has issued practical advice for caterers on ways they can contribute to reducing salt intakes.

Retailers have achieved significant reductions in their own label ranges and both manufacturers and retailers continue to investigate further possible reductions.

However, the success and extent of sodium reductions will be determined only by continued consumer acceptance of products. Food and drink manufacturers operate in a very competitive, international market. The industry works hard to understand consumer tastes and desires to gauge what would be acceptable in terms of taste and nutritional criteria.