FDF Action on Fibre initiative adds 7.2 billion more servings of fibre to UK diets, new data reveals
An additional 7.2 billion servings of fibre were delivered to the UK population in 2022 by brands participating in the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Action on Fibre initiative, according to new data from the organisation.
This number is equivalent to around 5 and a half billion bowls of bran flakes and nearly 8 billion slices of wholemeal bread, says the FDF.
Participating companies launched 143 new products in this period that are a ‘source of’ or ‘high’ in fibre. They also boosted the fibre content in a further 33 products already being sold to consumers, including breakfast cereals, bread, pizzas, snacks and meat alternatives.
The initiative has increased the fibre content of products being bought by shoppers from participating brands by 2%, according to figures from Kantar Worldpanel.
A total of 25 brands are involved in the Action on Fibre scheme, including Quorn, Kingsmill, Cereal Partners UK, Kellogg’s, KP Snacks, Birds Eye, Innocent, Premier Foods, Graze, Tate & Lyle, Warburtons, Weetabix Food Company, AB Mauri and General Mills, among others.
Chief Scientific Officer at the FDF, Kate Halliwell said in a statement: “We are delighted with the results from the first year of Action on Fibre. Our industry is committed to supporting the nation to have healthier diets and the additional 7.2 billion servings of fibre delivered on to supermarket shelves are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the participating brands.
“There is still a way to go to bridge the fibre gap, but this initiative shows how innovative activity by food and drink manufacturers can have a demonstrable impact on improving the nations’ health. We look forward to continuing our efforts in this space and would welcome collaboration with others who share this ambition.”
The impact of Action on Fibre in 2021-2022. Image credit: FDF.
The impact of Action on Fibre in 2021-2022. Image credit: FDF.
In addition to reformulating existing products and creating new ones to boost the number of higher fibre options available in the UK, the FDF says food producers have been working to raise awareness of the benefits and sources of fibre with shoppers, employees and stakeholders throughout the supply chain.
Action on Fibre launched in 2021 to make higher fibre diets appear more attractive and easier to achieve for the average consumer. While dietary fibre is key to maintaining good digestive health and reducing the risk of some chronic diseases, its consumption in the UK has been well below the national guideline of 30g a day for many years, with most adults consuming around 20g.
Nutrition & Health Development Manager at Allied Bakeries Nicky Gillet said: “We will not meet the UK’s recommended target of everyone consuming 30g of fibre per day without strong engagement from food and drink companies. This is why it is so significant that everyone involved in the Action on Fibre initiative has really stepped up to the challenge of getting more fibre into people’s daily diets, whether through labelling, education, reformulating existing recipes or devising new ones.
“Being able to deliver change that consumers enjoy while demonstrating a significant increase in fibre servings after just one year is a fantastic achievement. Now it’s important that we continue to drive this agenda forward to help move us ever closer to that 30g target.”
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