Health minister Edith Schippers told parliament on Thursday she is not prepared to introduce a legal requirement to lower the salt content in food.

Last week supermarkets and the meat industry said they would lower the amount of salt in food by 10% over the next two years.

However, health lobby groups say this is a ‘false promise’. Self-regulation does not work and salt reduction in both sectors needs to be regulated by law, they say.

Platform

Schippers told parliament she is satisfied the food industry is taking appropriate steps to lower salt content and that legislation is unnecessary.

She wants to set up a platform to discuss reductions in salt, saturated fats and sugar with supermarkets, the meat industry and the agricultural sector.

According to the food safety body NVWA, the average daily intake of salt is nine grams, way above the six grams maximum the health council advises.