Should supermarkets be telling us what to eat?

If someone has a health or weight problem that would benefit from a change in diet then it seems a positive move to have help available to choose the right food.

My first reaction was to say if they want to steer people away from “junk food” then don’t stock it. Perhaps that should apply still to extreme “junk food” but many foods are fine if eaten responsibly, and I would not like that choice removed. I have a friend who is advised by their doctor to add weight, and the list includes much of what some would no doubt regard as “junk”. But it has a purpose.

Waitrose could help by encouraging customers to cook for themselves rather than eat out – which often means generous portions.

I’m not suggesting that Waitrose offers more ready meals, but offers simple recipes that don’t require a large number of special ingredients or much time to prepare. Tesco has been doing this for some time. I don’t know how ‘healthy’ these recipes are but I think it’s the right approach.

Unfortunately the nearest Waitrose is about ten miles away but if I do meet one of their nutrition adviser I will be suggesting that the company offers discounts on fruit & veg and whatever else they think we should be eating more of.

I actually like to make my own food purchase decisions but hope I know what I am buying. There might be a role for those who buy junk food because it is easier to use and tastes alright. But, would they know that they need help, and would they accept it, when the status quo works for them? Of course bad food, one day turns into good food the next, according to the latest report. Who do we believe? I agree with Malcolm. If it is there on the shelves, it is there to be bought, and who has the time when shopping to stop and chat with the food experts, when the football starts in half an hour and the family needs feeding? Is Waitrose the right shop to be doing this? We are led to believe that those who shop there are usually able to buy what they want and usually know what’s good for them. I will be interested to know how busy these nutritionist become and what the public make of them.

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Perhaps to effect healthy eating nationally, unconditional food vouchers should be received by all citizens, which are only redeemable through buying marked products in stores. For example; whole grains root vegetables, fruit.

Nutritionist Nanny’s could perhaps work with this in mind, with cheap healthy recipes to mind. People could still buy as much junk food as they like. Eating healthy however shouldn’t be a perk of having disposable income in a country that caters to fine dining experiences, and luxury food markets.

The phrase ‘sent for training by nutritionists’ rings loud alarm bells for me. Anyone can call themselves a ‘nutritionist’, as the profession is not regulated: https://www.bda.uk.com/publications/dietitian_nutritionist.pdf. The regulated (by law) profession are dieticians, some of whom have full-time roles in the NHS. In their free ‘Weekend’ magazine, Waitrose have a column written by their ‘resident nutritionist’ in which she analyses a typical day’s food from some minor celebrity and rates it out of 5. Little that I have read there has mademuch sense in terms of the latest dietary thinking.

The causes of the current plague of obesity are many, complex, and not yet fully understood. If your GP is in many cases not equipped to offer you sensible advice based on a full knowledge of your medical record, what is one to expect from Waitrose staff, however well-intentioned they may be?

I believe they should suggest a healthier option right next to the unhealthy product. Perhaps a big arrow pointing at the healthy one stating why it’s healthier than the other