LONDON — The food giant behind Dolmio pasta sauces and Uncle Ben's rice kits is to advise consumers to only occasionally eat its products that are high in sugar, salt and fat.
Mars Food is introducing new labels to distinguish its "everyday" items in its ready-made savoury products from those that should be eaten only once a week, according to a statementon the website.
These include Dolmio lasagne sauces, pesto, and carbonara and macaroni oven kits, which have come under fire from health campaigners for their high levels of sugar, salt and fat.
Mars Food told the BBC that just 5% of its products would be labelled "occasional," in a bid to help families to "create and promote healthier food choices".
"As these products are not intended to be eaten daily, Mars Food will provide guidance to consumers on-pack and on its website regarding how often these meal offerings should be consumed within a balanced diet."
As part of a five-year initiative, Mars Food also pledged to change the recipes of current products — including the popular Uncle Ben's sauces — by cutting salt, sugar and fat.
Products will be reformulated based on recommendations from public health authorities such as the World Health Organization. "To align the global product portfolio with this criteria, Mars Food will reduce sodium by an average of 20% by 2021 and reduce added sugar in a limited number of sauces and light meals by 2018," it said.
Mars Food will also support the salt-reduction strategies of bodies such as the UK Food Standards Agency, Department of Health and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it says.
The initiative from the food giant follows the UK Chancellor George Osborne's introduction of a sugar tax to tackle childhood obesity, which aims to raise an estimated £520 million a year.
