Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

NHS launches food scanner app to target unhealthy snacks

NHS launches food scanner app to target unhealthy snacks
iStock image
Getty Images

The NHS food scanner app will now flag healthy food combating the rise of unhealthy snack consumption among children, the authorities said on Monday (10), after latest data highlighted how families purchased unhealthy food more during lockdowns.

The new feature on the NHS app, announced as a part of the Better Health campaign, will scan selected shopping items and suggest alternatives with less saturated fat, sugar or salt. Families using the NHS Food Scanner app will also be shown a “Good Choice” badge for items which could help improve their diet, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.


Public Health Minister Maggie Throup said, “We know that families have felt a lot of pressure throughout the pandemic which has drastically changed habits and routines. The new year is a good time for making resolutions, not just for ourselves, but for our families. Finding ways to improve their health is one of the best resolutions any of us could make.

“By downloading the free NHS Food Scanner App, families can swap out foods from the weekly shop for healthier alternatives and avoid items high in salt, sugar and saturated fat,” Throup said.

The app's “Good Choice” badge will help people to buy healthier food and drinks more that are in line with the government’s dietary recommendations for added sugar, saturated fat, and salt, reports said.

It follows the survey’s findings suggesting that parents have been giving more unhealthy snacks to their children since the start of the pandemic. A new survey jointly conducted by the department conducted with Netmums showed that nearly 58 per cent of parents give their children more sugary or fatty snacks than before the pandemic and 64 per cent of parents said they often worry about how healthy their children’s snacks really are.

Nearly 90 per cent of parents had said they would benefit from an App which would assist them in making healthier choices for their children.

The UK Government is regulating the promotion of unhealthy foods to children, dedicating around £100 million of funding to support children, adults and families achieve and maintain a healthier weight as part of their Obesity Strategy.

More for you

vape and cigarette
Photo: iStock

One in five ex-smokers in England now vape, study finds


Summary
1. One in five people who have successfully quit smoking in England currently vape, with an estimated 2.2 million individuals using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.
2. The increase in vaping among ex-smokers is largely driven by the use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts, with a rise in vaping uptake among people who had previously quit smoking for many years before taking up vaping.
3. While vaping may be a less harmful option compared to smoking, there are concerns about the potential long-term implications of vaping on relapse risk and nicotine addiction. Further research is needed to assess the impact of vaping on smoking cessation outcomes.


Keep ReadingShow less
Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform

Independent retailers association Bira has held a meeting with members of the Treasury team to discuss concerns following its robust response to the Government’s recent Budget announcement.

The Budget, labelled by Bira as "devastating" for independent retailers, was met with widespread indignation from Bira members.

Keep ReadingShow less
East of England Co-op achieves 70 per cent productivity boost with Electronic Shelf Labels

East of England Co-op achieves 70 per cent productivity boost with Electronic Shelf Labels

East of England Co-op said it has improved labour productivity whilst improving customer service delivery in-store with an Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) solution from Pricer, the leading in-store automation and communication solutions provider.

Established in 1861, East of England Co-op is now the largest independent retailer operating in the East of England. In addition to the 120 food stores it operates in the region, the regional cooperative also offers customers specialist services, such as funerals, security, travel agents and petrol filling stations across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.

Keep ReadingShow less
PayPoint

PayPoint delivers strong half-year results; retail network crosses 30,000 sites

PayPoint Plc has on Thursday has announced a robust financial performance for the half year ending 30 September, making continued progress towards achieving an underlying EBITDA of £100 million by the end of FY26.

The company’s UK retail network increased to 30,151 sites during the period, from 29,149 at the end of the previous fiscal year. 70 per cent of these are independent retailers, and the rest in multiple retail groups.

Keep ReadingShow less
Johnson & Johnson office

Johnson & Johnson office in Irvine, California

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

Johnson & Johnson risks UK lawsuit over talc cancer claim

UK claimants announced Wednesday legal action against US pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson, alleging that women diagnosed with cancers were exposed to asbestos in the company's talcum powder.

J&J risks UK court action for the first time over the allegations, having faced a series of similar lawsuits in North America.

Keep ReadingShow less