M&S wants clearer food labels

By Stephanie Brooks 10/08/2026 3 min read 2 views

Marks & Spencer is urging the government to relax fibre labelling rules to allow for clearer communication on packaging. The retailer wants to use commonly understood phrases like “gut health” instead of technical jargon to help consumers make better dietary choices.

M&S Food managing director Alex Freudmann wrote to Health Secretary Yvette Cooper calling for a review of the current regulations. The letter, dated August 6, argues that retailers should be able to use everyday language to better inform consumers about the benefits of their products.

The correspondence is also signed by nutritionist Emily English and Bowel Cancer UK ambassador Dr. Anisha Patel. The group asserts that the phrase “fibre supports gut health” is not only more customer-friendly but also backed by scientific evidence.

“Our customers tell us they want to eat more fibre, but we are prevented from explaining its benefits in clear, everyday language on our packaging. This has to change,” the letter states.

Current regulations restrict explanations to highly technical descriptions that often confuse shoppers. Retailers are permitted to say “barley grain fibre contributes to an increase in faecal bulk” or “wheat bran fibre contributes to an accelerated intestinal transit time” which are widely seen as confusing. However, they are not allowed to simply state that “fibre supports gut health” in the language customers understand, despite the clear scientific evidence to support that link.

A Disconnect in Consumption

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that 96% of UK adults consume less than the recommended 30g of fibre a day. This statistic highlights a significant gap in dietary habits. Consumer interest in wellness trends often spikes in January, yet this low intake remains a year-round issue.

Regulatory bodies often lag behind public understanding. Similar friction has appeared in other sectors of nutritional advice where scientific consensus moves faster than legislative wording updates. This gap between policy and public literacy often hampers preventative health efforts, leaving consumers confused rather than informed.

The letter notes that many customers do not understand how or why fibre intake matters, even though they want to eat more of it. The signatories believe that clearer labelling is essential to address this lack of understanding.

Call for Scientific Review

“We would welcome your support in asking the UK Nutrition and Health Claims Committee and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to urgently review permitted fibre health claims,” the letter reads. The goal is to enable simpler, consumer-friendly language that reflects the latest scientific evidence.

“This is a practical, evidence-based change that could help millions of people make healthier choices every day, reduce the risk of preventable disease and ease pressure on the NHS,” the document continues.

The letter invites Cooper to meet with the retailer to discuss its approach to supporting customers. It suggests that this discussion could cover how the retailer’s strategy interacts with government policy.

Corporate Action and Policy Needs

Freudmann said that customers want to eat more fibre, but the current rules make it harder than it should be to explain the benefits simply. “We are transforming our ranges, making affordable fibre-rich foods easier to shop and raising awareness of the health benefits of fibre by working with Bowel Cancer UK, but we need the rules to catch up,” he said.

The retailer has been working to adjust its product formulations. M&S aims to make fiber-rich options more visible and affordable for shoppers across its stores.

Freudmann emphasized that this change would support the government’s prevention agenda. He noted that millions could make healthier choices if the language on packaging were more accessible, ultimately aiding public health goals.