The food industry has recently faced a flurry of negative media coverage, and it would be wise for it to take heed of the Chinese scholar’s advice.
While familiar with less than favourable press, the attacks over the last few months will continue and lead to attempts by interest groups to implement regulation that will fundamentally undermine the industry.
The ‘interest groups’ I refer to can collectively be termed as the ‘health lobby’ – an enormous and extremely well organised powerhouse with a successful communications operation.
The increase in the flurry of news stories alerting the public to the dangers of certain food (particularly on the dangers of added sugar) is part of a direct attempt to further regulate the food industry. The ongoing media coverage acts as an initial base on which to build support for legislative change. It’s crucial that the food industry is prepared for this challenge. The industry must develop its support base in advance of a planned assault by the health lobby.
In order to understand the challenges that lie ahead, the food industry should look to tobacco and alcohol and the regulatory trend that has evolved between the three. The regulation imposed on tobacco tends to move to alcohol and then, over time, to food.
A 2013 report by Deloitte found the food industry to be vulnerable to future regulation due to increasing public health and fiscal concerns. The report even went as far as to say that the more resource-intensive nature of the food industry leaves it most exposed to future regulation.
If history teaches us anything, it’s that the health lobby pursuing this regulation and the politicians who support the principle behind it will pursue an aggressive policy agenda, promoting what most rational people would consider as ‘extreme’ in order to secure a significant compromise.
The food industry is very much on the back foot in regards to communicating its message. The next 12 months is crucial for the industry to prepare and develop its strategy and build support for its position.
The future of food industry regulation very much depends on the outcome of the 2015 election. The Conservative Party lost considerable grassroots support following the prime minister’s pursuit of more ‘liberal’ policies, and any attempt to aggressively legislate on regulating the food industry would cause significant division within the Party.
The Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats are being actively pursued by Action on Sugar, which is campaigning to enforce a limit on the amount of sugar in food. The group believes that it is more likely to secure a 2015 manifesto commitment from parties more closely associated with the left of the political spectrum.
In its January 2013 policy paper Children, Food and Obesity, Labour flirted with the idea of setting a ‘legal limit’ on the amount of sugar, fat and salt in food, and earlier this month shadow health minister Andy Burnham confirmed that Labour will commit to this ahead of the 2015 election.
The push for more stringent food regulation in the UK follows successful efforts in a number of EU countries, including France, Finland and Hungary, to introduce taxes on unhealthy food products.
The food industry mustn’t be afraid to fight its corner. The health lobby is currently winning the war for ‘hearts and minds’ and the only way the food industry can regain ground is by moving the argument away from health. It needs to be able to demonstrate that unreasonable attempts to regulate the industry will have far-reaching consequences.
The food industry must engage with the media, politicians and most importantly the public, effectively demonstrating how unnecessary regulation can result in serious implications affecting trade, employment and basic freedoms. If it can successfully communicate this message and drag the health lobby from its comfort zone, it could protect the industry from the devastation that can come from over-regulation.
Matthew Walsh is director of corporate affairs at Media Intelligence Partners, a public relations and political consultancy based in London. This is a personal blog and views expressed are his own.
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