Slug & Lettuce backs low-salt campaign

The Slug and Lettuce bar chain has responded to calls to reduce the amount of salt in the UK diet with changes to its menu.

The SFI-owned pub brand is introducing a low salt and low fat version of its biggest selling dish on the menu - tortilla wraps. The chain sells more than 40,000 wraps a month across its 56 bars.

All Slug and Lettuce bars will also display a leaflet produced jointly by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the British Heart Foundation.

Jane Keenan, brand marketing manager for the Slug & Lettuce says; "Since the FSA is using a slug as its spokesperson to communicate the dangers of too much salt we thought our own Slugs were ideal to help raise the profile of the campaign.

"We take our food very seriously and are continually looking to offer our customers more choice to eat healthily."

Meanwhile, the Salt Manufacturer's Association (SMA) has offered to contribute towards the cost of research into salt and health.

SMA general secretary, Peter Sherratt has written to health minister Melanie Johnson raising concerns that the FSA's £4 million slug campaign is based on questionable conclusions.

He said: "If you were introducing a new drug you would not be able to do so without the backing of proper research, so how can the government justify changing the dietary habits of a nation when there is any doubt?"

He added: "We are proposing to the Minister that there should be an independent, evidence-based review. Such a study would cost a fraction of their current campaign budget and could produce agreed, long term consensus. We have told the minister that we would happily contribute."