Radical overhaul – that’s the anticipated call from Henry Dimbleby on the National Food Strategy

Henry Dimbleby, the founder of healthy fast food chain Leon, was commissioned by the Westminster government to devise a National Food Strategy (NFS). It’s expected he will call for a “radical overhaul” of the food and drink system, reductions in ‘junk food’ plus a reduction in meat production when his report is released this summer.

The full report is due in July, but it is expected to be hard-hitting, with plans to tackle obesity, a clampdown on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), and tackling promotions and advertising. It’s claimed Dimbleby plans to go even further when his report is released in full – calling for a crackdown on highly processed foods and meats. He is also concerned about the impact of climate change and of land use of the production of these foods.

Henry Dimbleby has also been investigating how measures, such as the expansion of the soft drink sugar tax, could be used to tackle obesity. It’s been suggested by industry sources that what he is proposing is a fundamental challenge to the entire way the UK produces food and drink – calling for major change in how and what can be sold and how the food and drink sector is managed.

Dimbleby is critical of intensive farming methods and the excessive consumption of meat.

Tesco has already announced that it plans for 65% of its sales to come from healthy products by 2025. Demand for plant-based products has also soared in recent years.

How much influence the final report will have with the current Westminster government is unknown. He was commissioned to do this work by Michael Gove appointment, but Gove is now moved to a different role.

The government has promised to produce a white paper in response to the strategy within six months of it coming out.