Unilever leads the way in salt reduction
As a major UK food manufacturer, Unilever believes that we have a responsibility to address these concerns in a proactive way. So, in 2002, we focused our attention on soups and sauces within our Knorr range as a first step in looking at how we could reduce the salt content of our products.
The initiative
Unilever approached a number of other leading manufacturers of branded soups and sauces, to develop this across the industry and received widespread support for the initiative. The idea of cutting salt content chimed with the group’s commitment to examining the nutritional content of products, with a view to providing you with healthier choices.
The project
Unilever assembled a group of companies, including Heinz, Baxter’s, Campbells and Pataks supported by the food industry’s trade association, the Food & Drink Federation.
These member companies agreed with the need to cut salt – but there was also an acknowledgement that any reduction had to be gradual. If the reduction was made too quickly, there would be a noticeable difference in taste and people would switch to products with more salt! The group committed to a three-year programme, with the aim of reducing salt by 10% in 2003. This was to be followed by reductions of a similar magnitude over the next two years, subject to consumer acceptance.
The results
The project is on track to achieve its objectives. Here at Unilever, we achieved a 10% reduction across Knorr soups, Chicken Tonight, Ragu, and Colman’s sauces in 2003.
