Chapter 2: Health in the consumer society

The choices people make as consumers – what we eat and drink, and how we use services and facilities – impact on health. People get information on health from many different sources including friends and family, product labelling, the media, and national campaigns. A modern strategy for health will include action to stimulate both demand for healthier options – through information that people trust – as well as increase availability of those options, so that people can make the choices they want to. Action to address inequalities in health needs to focus particularly on getting information across to people in different groups and securing better access to healthier choices for people in disadvantaged groups or areas. Where demand for healthier choices is increasing – for example following the national campaigns on 5 A DAY and on salt – industry is already responding. The Government has a role in taking the lead on issues where strong national and public concern about health indicates the need to do more. This includes coordinated action with industry to increase awareness of the benefits and supply of healthy options – in particular supporting opportunities for exercise and a healthy diet – and action to reduce demand for less healthy foods, tobacco and alcohol, particularly among children and young people.

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