Having already implemented new standards, Emma Strachan, Health Improvement Specialist at Leeds City Council and Dr Hannah McCourt, Senior Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Officer with Public Health Agency shared experiences of implementing the standards, the benefits and how they can be introduced without impacting profitability.
Opening the event, and outlining the need for change, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Dr Naresh Chada said:
“A key priority for the Department of Health is supporting and enabling people to improve their health and wellbeing. The event on healthier and more sustainable vending supports current work on introducing nutritional standards to public sector catering and vending. This work forms part of the Northern Ireland obesity prevention strategy ‘A Fitter Future For All’ which aims to create the conditions in which people are enabled and supported to improve their diet.”
Explaining how the work of the FSA supports the creation of a healthier food environment Professor Susan Jebb OBE, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said:
The Food Standards Agency exists to protect consumers interests in relation to food and we’re here to help people achieve healthier diets and healthier lives. We know that what’s available, what’s convenient and what’s affordable strongly influences food choices. What is offered in vending really matters not least because it often provides access to food and drink when other services aren’t available. That is why the FSA has produced a guide to healthier and more sustainable vending and introduced nutritional standards for snacks and drinks. By embracing these standards, public and private sector organisations can support a healthier food environment for their staff and visitors.
A guide to nutritional standards and sustainability in vending is available to download.
Other expert speakers at the event included, David Llewellyn, Chief Executive, Automatic Vending Association (AVA) and Shane Johnson, Vending Operations Manager, Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company/Vending Ireland who outlined industry developments. Charmaine Beer, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs provided an update on the Deposit Returns Scheme in Northern Ireland, while Thelma Fitzgerald, Consumer Insights Manager, Invest NI, provided insight on accessing consumer market data to capitalize on future opportunities.
Delegates also had the opportunity to network with vending service providers and distributors who were exhibiting products that meet current nutritional standards and showcasing sustainability practices.
Dr Naresh Chada, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Department of Health, Professor Susan Jebb OBE, Chair, Food Standards Agency and Anthony Harbinson FSA Board Member for Northern Ireland, Chair of the NI Food Advisory Committee
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