Dolmio & Uncle Bens are now to be known as ‘Occasional’ products instead of ‘Everyday’ due to the brands owners announcing the high levels of sugar, salt &/or fat contents in the seemingly healthy products.
Ben Reynolds, deputy co-ordinator of food and farming alliance Sustain said:
“Companies are trying to scramble to show they can be good and do the right thing before the government releases its childhood obesity strategy later this year.”
“The government have shown they are willing to bare their teeth and they’re not going to stand for a voluntary approach,”
“The truth of it is that anything that comes out of a packet, comes out of a jar, that has been processed, is not going to be particularly healthy for you.
“Whether you’re making a quick pasta meal or a Sunday roast, the cheapest and healthiest way is from fresh ingredients.”
What about other similar sauces? They were also high in fat – one had more than a McDonald’s Big Mac burger. Graphic shows fat content per 100g of products. From top left to right, Tesco green pesto, Sacla Sun Dried Tom Pesto, Ragu White sauce for Lasagne. From bottom left to right, Sacla Whole Cherry Tomato & Mascarpone, Sainsbury’s Pasta Sauce Carbonara, Homepride Creamy Tomato & Cheese [Source]
“It’s great that they are pushing forward this responsible labelling and raising awareness.
“But the challenge we have with it is that only the health conscious will look at the labels in the first place, therefore it’s not going to hit the people who need it the most.”
Nutritionist Laura De La Harpe told BBC Radio 5 live
It should not be difficult to reduce the sugar content.
“What would concern me would be if they start adding sweeteners, artificial sweeteners to replace the sugar,”
Daily MailOnline can reveal a host of popular pasta sauces contain high amounts of sugar – some with almost two teaspoons of sugar per 100g serving. From top left to right are some of the highest-sugar products: Ragu Smooth Bolognese Pasta Sauce, Napolina Bolognese Sauce and Seeds Of Change Organic Tomato And Basil Sauce. From bottom left to right are others high in sugar – ASDA Extra Special Bolognese Pasta Sauce, Weight Watchers Roasted Garlic Cooking Sauce and Jamie Oliver tomato & Italian Red Wine Sauce [Source]
“We’re holding ourselves to a much higher standard… which will lead us to further reducing sodium across our global product portfolio by an average of 20% by 2021 and added sugar in a limited number of sauces and light meals by 2018.
“While we have some work to do, 70% of our tomato-based Dolmio jar products already meet this ‘everyday’ standard.
“Our guidance to consumers on everyday and occasional meals is a key element of our ambition, as 95% of our product portfolio will fall into the ‘everyday’ category and 5% of our product portfolio will receive an ‘occasional’ label in the coming years, much of which will still go through some amount of reformulation to be made healthier.”
The Daily Mash (quite possibly the best news site in the world) 😉 gave a brilliant article:
BRITONS are to ignore the manufacturer’s recommendation to only eat Dolmio once a week and chug six jars tonight, like every Friday.
Despite Dolmio pasta sauces being labelled as ‘occasional’ products, the majority of consumers say that at least two jars are required to get a proper buzz on.
Builder Stephen Malley said: “When I get home the wife’s usually already got a jar on the go for herself and one ready on the table for me.
“We clink them together in a toast to the weekend and then I neck mine in one go, gulping back that thick, bolognese goodness with my eyes closed.
“I have another with my fish and chips and then I’m in my usual spot in front of the telly with the empty jars rattling around on the floor.
“Never touch it at work though. Mate of mine started hitting it at lunchtime, all red and chunky round his mouth and on his shirt.
“Got fired, lost his wife and family, ended up on the streets swigging Ragu. Poor bastard.”
