Co-op top for healthy eating bargains

The Co-Op is your best bet for healthy bargains according to the National Consumer Council (NCC). In their annual survey of the supermarkets, they rate the Co-op the most health-concious followed by Marks and Spencers and Waitrose.

The NCC's main concern is in-store promotions like 2 for 1 offers. There are twice as many of these for fatty and sugary foods as for fruit and vegetables. At Somerfield, for example, just 7% of offers were for healthier food.

However, said the NCC, supermarkets have made improvements in other ways, such as cutting salt, better labelling and taking sweets off the checkout.

Overall the Co-Op came out top. It was top scorer for reducing salt content — with their sausages having less salt than the NCC target. Its labelling was 'excellent' and it had the best customer helpline.

NCC Chief Executive, Ed Mayo, said, 'We congratulate the Co-op, the top performer. But we're dismayed that the biggest supermarket — Tesco — is a laggard on health.'

Tesco — with over 30% of the market — is, said the NCC 'not competitive on health'; its in-store promotions are weighted towards unhealthy foods — with only 14% for fruit and vegetables compared to 35% for fatty and sugary foods, and its helpline was the least helpful of all.

Where should you shop?

The Supermarket Health Responsibility league

• 1. Co-op
• 2. Marks and Spencer / Waitrose
• 4. Sainsbury's
• 5. Asda
• 6. Tesco
• 7. Iceland / Somerfield
• 9. Morrison's

Full details of the survey including how the tables were calculated is available here on the Men's Health Forum's website.

Where do you shop and what do you think of their attitude to your health?