Letter: Healthy shopping and the 'sweet trolley'

Sir: Joanna Walford (letter, 20 September) raises an essential issue for public health nutrition education when she expresses amazement at the cakes, confectionery and snacks still in the Sainsbury's healthier shopping trolley of foods. The important fact, however, is that the key target of 35 per cent fat calories was still achieved.

We have to be very careful not to discourage the average 'man in the street' by adopting too puritanical an approach. People eat for fun as well as sustenance. If we fail to recognise this, the chance of our achieving the dietary goals set out in the Health of the Nation White Paper will be minimal.

The Sainsbury's initiative with which I have been associated on a scientific basis, represents a genuine attempt by this major food retail company to help their customers to choose a selection of food items with an overall composition more in line with Governmental advice. This and similar programmes from other food retail companies need the continuing support of us all so they can evolve in a rational and ethical manner.

Yours faithfully,

R. G. WHITEHEAD

Director

MRC Dunn Nutrition Centre

Cambridge