Public Health and Industry: Aligning Goals for a Healthier UK 

Romilly Carrick, Client Executive
24/04/2025

The UK Government is still holding out hope for a trade deal with the US, and despite Business Secretary Johnny Reynolds ruling out relaxing food standards in order to secure lower tariffs, nothing is guaranteed with President Trump.

One of the key concerns for industry centres around the possibility that imported food from the US, where standards for ingredients, additives and labelling are often less stringent, could affect the UK’s existing regulatory framework and have knock on effects on the health of the nation.

These concerns have surfaced at a time when domestic food policy is under renewed focus. In January this year, the Department of Health and Social Care reaffirmed its commitment to creating a “healthier food environment” that supports longer, healthier lives. However, the implementation of key policies needed to deliver it successfully have consistently been delayed.

Measures intended to limit the promotion of high-fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products, such as banning “buy one get one free” deals and introducing a 9pm watershed for advertising, have been delayed until at least October 2025, and so far, only the in-store placement restrictions for HFSS products have been brought into effect as originally planned.

There is widespread recognition of the public health challenge posed by diet-related illness, which remains one of the leading causes of preventable disease and early mortality in the UK. In this context, and with major trade negotiations on the horizon, understanding the reasons behind delays in policy implementation is increasingly important.

A large part of the answer lies in political and economic realities. Policymakers are navigating a complex landscape of competing priorities, legislative capacity, and global economic pressures. As Health Secretary Wes Streeting has put it in the past, pressing ahead with tougher food rules during a cost-of-living crisis could seem “tin-eared” and out of touch with families’ needs.

The broader engagement is crucial when developing effective and sustainable policy. As primary stakeholders, actors in the food and drink industry have insight into the practical and operational effects of political and regulatory shifts. Their involvement can contribute to shaping approaches that aim to be both implementable and responsive to wider public health objectives. The forthcoming National Food Strategy is expected to continue exploring how collaboration can support effective and proportionate policy.

As trade negotiations progress and domestic food policy is revisited, ensuring that policy remains informed by a broad evidence base will be important in managing the intersection of trade and UK health. Balancing international trade ambitions with robust public health protections and UK food industry interests will be a key test of the government’s ability to deliver both economic opportunity and long-term wellbeing.