Last year we became the first retailer to remove all artificial colours and flavours, flavour enhancers, the artificial sweetener Aspartame and hydrogenated vegetable oil from our 12,000-strong range of own brand products.

We invested more than £30 million in reformulating products and ensuring that they still tasted great.

Artificial colours have been removed and in some cases replaced with natural colours, such as fruit and vegetable extracts.

Artificial flavours have, where necessary, been replaced with flavours from natural sources. For example vanilla, which is sourced naturally, has replaced the artificially produced Vanillin, which is commonly used in chocolate products.

We have also removed all hydrogenated fat from our own label products.

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In early 2006 the Food Standards Agency (FSA) published voluntary salt reduction targets across 85 food categories, setting a deadline of 2010. By the end of 2006 we had already met the FSA target for salt reduction across more than 65% of our own brand products. In 2008 we became the first retailer to hit the FSA’s targets ahead of the 2010 deadline by removing a total of 396 tonnes of salt from our own brand products — and we have committed to extending this to 100% of our range.

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We know how confusing it can be to make sense of all the different labels used on food packaging when trying to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

That’s why we were the first supermarket to launch a dual labelling system which combines the benefits of ‘traffic lights’ with guideline daily amounts (GDAs).

Welcomed by the Government and the Food Standard Agency’s alike, the system is designed to be read and understood in less than two seconds, making it easier for our customers to choose healthier foods at a glance.

Using the distinct traffic light colours to highlight low, medium and high levels of sugar, fat, salt, saturated fats and calories in each product, our labels also give the precise amount of each nutrient in grams per serving and the percentage of the GDA this represents.

Developed through extensive consumer research, our system provides customers with the most detailed, easy-to-understand information available in the retail market today.

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We’re working hard to stop under-age sales of alcohol and we want to work with the Government to promote sensible drinking across the country.

We were the first retailer to introduce Challenge 25 in all our stores – where we ask anyone who looks under 25 to provide proof they are aged 18 or over. We’ve also pledged a £1 million social responsibility fund to provide alternative alcohol free activities for young people and we’ve doubled the number of “mystery shopper” test purchases in our stores. Find our more here.

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