This report exploring public attitudes towards healthy eating finds that the food market in the UK is not working for consumers, with too many in the UK facing significant barriers to eating healthy diets.

The report is calling on the Government to build on their strategy to tackle obesity by investing in a new transformative Food and Agriculture Sector Deal. A new Sector Deal would accelerate research and development in reformulating food on a much greater scale than seen before, to make them healthier and more cost-effective for consumers.

From our survey, the report estimates that 20 million adults cannot afford healthy foods in the UK, and that 19 million cannot find healthy foods available in shops close to their home. The research also finds that the British public are in favour of more interventionist policies to tackle unhealthy eating. Almost three quarters of people (71%) would support government subsidies that make healthy foods cheaper.

Main findings:

• The three main drivers that consumers say push them towards unhealthy foods are: taste (43%), cost (34%) and ease (34%). 
• The majority (59%) of people would support requiring all grocery shops to stock healthy foods.
• Just under half (45%) of people would support standardised packaging on unhealthy foods – similar to approaches taken on cigarette packaging. 
• A further four in ten (43%) would support banning unhealthy foods on public transport and slightly fewer (37%) would support banning foods in public places.

Key recommendations:

• The Government should introduce a levy on nitrite-cured processed meats, which the World Health Organisation have linked directly to bowel cancer.
• The Government should launch a new fund for the development of lab-grown meat or meat alternatives.
• The Government should subsidise healthy foods that are already low in price, such as tins of tomatoes, carrots and frozen vegetables to make healthy options much cheaper.