Food labelling system given green light

The Department of Health has announced it has given the green light for the introduction of a new system for food labelling in the UK.

Health minister Anna Soubry revealed that the new scheme is going to enable consumers to make healthier choices about the food they eat.

The programme includes a combination of guideline daily amounts (GDA), colour coding and high/medium/low text and has been given the go-ahead by the government after a three-month consultation with retailers and manufacturers.

"By having a consistent system we will all be able to see at a glance what is in our food. This will help us all choose healthier options and control our calorie intake," said Ms Soubry.

She added poor diet and obesity costs the NHS billions of pounds every year and the new food labelling system could help to bring this figure down in the future.

Speaking to BBC News, Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, an expert in health promotion from King's College London and a former president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, described the news as "welcome".

Find the nearest Barchester nursing home