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In recent years much work has been done to encourage industry
to respond to the obese environment. The City University,
London has just published a report that looks at the world’s
biggest 25 food companies and found, by looking at annual
reports, accounts and HQ websites, that they are not taking
health issues seriously enough. Their response is described
as luke-warm to the enormity of public health evidence so
we clearly have a long way to go…
A poor initiative by a company (and
it’s not even a food company!)
Why are we being offered a half price bar of Cadburys chocolate
(200g) every time we make a purchase at W H Smith? The company
has 542 high street stores as well as 127 travel stores at
airports and rail stations and we’ve been offered chocolate
bars everywhere ….quite strongly by both stores on Euston
Station forecourt. Our local WH Smith has literally piles
of these chocolate bars on a low table near all the checkouts.
When you make a purchase you are politely but directly asked
if you wish to purchase a chocolate bar? Clearly this company
which appears family-friendly is looking extremely ill-informed
about the current obesity epidemic. A visit to their website
makes interesting reading.
The current chairman of WH Smith, Robert Walker, worked for
PepsiCo.Inc for over 22 years. Executive Director and member
of the Management team, Kate Swann worked for Coca Cola Schweppes
and these are the people who influence the decisions regarding
promotions. In the WH Smith Community section of the website
they are proud (and rightly so) of the products they sell
to raise money for charities, British Heart Foundation, Cancer
Research, etc. Obviously removing the chocolate bars would
assist in the work of these two charities.
On writing to the company, we received a letter from Denise
Hughes of the WH Smith Customer service team manager who states…”the
confectionary products are chosen because they are good for
sharing with friends and family as a gift rather than for
personal consumption.” Does this make it acceptable?
Cadbury’s must be delighted to know that chocolate bars
are merely for giving and not for eating!
She kindly enclosed the marketing code of practice which
says that WH Smith ...”always takes into account
the level of knowledge, sophistication and maturity of the
people we are marketing to, particularly children.”
So why present an immature toddler with a huge pile of chocolate
when out shopping? Are WH Smith adding to the obesity problem
or is it OK because people have a right to choose?
Do email
your views on this to us and any recent chocolate “gift”
experiences at the WH Smith checkout.
A good initiative by a company
You can now join the Boots Health Club, offering face-to-face
advice from a healthcare professional. The eight topics the
UK population had concerns about are listed below and you
select three topics when you join up:
Weight Loss
Healthy Heart
Kids Health
Vitamins and supplements
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Women’s health
Pain relief
Stop smoking
Allergies |
The company appears to be embracing the health reports of
recent years and translating them into practical action. The
nutritional experts in the weight loss booklet, Dr Susan Jebb
and Vicky Pennington are well recognised in their professional
sphere and the advice is sound and helpful. The vitamin and
supplement booklet has a useful at-a-glance section on vitamins
and minerals and their beneficial effects in the body, recommended
daily amounts and food sources.
The added bonus for anyone joining the Boots Health Club
is that you receive expert and personalized advice, magazines,
email updates, free eye tests…..
This is definitely a step
in the right direction!
Please email
any examples of good and bad initiatives in regards
to nutritional health for friends in the kitchen.
Thanks!
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