BHF: Food labelling must improve

Food labels need to be improved to ensure people know how much salt they are consuming, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) believes.

The charity's comments follow a report from Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) which found that some foods eaten by children contain more than half the daily maximum limit of salt for a six-year-old in a single serving.

A survey by Netmums.com released with the report showed that most parents are unaware about which foods contain the most salt.

"This must be a red light moment for food manufacturers, let's get colour-coded labels on food packs now," said Betty McBride, BHF director of policy and communications.

"This research shows alarming levels of salt hidden in some foods. Shoppers' problems are compounded by confusing food labelling that can make it difficult to quickly choose lower salt options for their families at the supermarket."

Ms McBride added: "We know that traffic light labelling is key to making food choices easier for shoppers. It would allow busy parents to tell at a glance whether food they select is low, medium or high in salt and help them make healthier food choices."