Nestle: about salt reduction progress and opportunities

Vevey / CH. (nsa) Swiss Nestle S.A. has addressed an international food reformulation conference, indicating the steps the company has taken in recent years to reduce salt, and the necessity of industry and other stakeholders working together to make further progress in cutting salt intake. The Reformulation Series 2014 conference, taking place in Amsterdam, brings together participants from across the stakeholder spectrum, including academics, industry and international bodies like the World Health Organization. Speaking at the conference, Henri-Pierre Lenoble, Nestle Nutrition, Health and Wellness Manager, discussed the company´s product-by-product approach to food reformulation that has led to a double-digit percentage reduction in salt from more than 2’400 Nestle products since 2005, when the company issued its first sodium reduction policy. The reduction since 2005 represents around 14’500 tons of salt. He reiterated Nestle´s objective to cut salt in its products by a further ten percent between 2013 and 2016 and the company´s support for the WHO target for salt intake of no more than five grams per person and per day by 2025. Lenoble also discussed the role of partnering with multiple stakeholders to make further improvements in salt reduction in food. «There are many challenges, like every day food habits and cultural preferences for salty foods, which surround the general issue of salt reduction. And that is why effective multi-stakeholder partnering is critical to making further progress on this important matter», said Lenoble. For more information on the conference, please visit FI Reformulation.