Opinion: Rachel Kettlewell
Rachel Kettlewell, founder of Fearne & Rosie, on sugar, childhood obesity and why education and collaboration are key to changing the narrative around kids’ health.
Let’s talk sugar. Did you know that in order for a product to be labelled as a ‘jam’ it has to contain at least 60g of sugar per 100g? That’s 60%.
Jam is a category that sells on heritage. Most shoppers are second or third generation jam consumers who pick up the product from the shelf without really questioning what is in the jar, where that food comes from or the impact it has on our bodies.
Times are changing. Health often features third on a consumers purchase hierarchy (after price and of course taste) with a rapidly expanding consumer demographic demanding access to cleaner nutritional profiling, integrity of ingredients and lower sugar healthier food choices.
Fearne & Rosie Reduced Sugar Jams all contain 70% fruit. On average, our jams are 34-35g of sugar per 100g, meaning switching from standard jams to Fearne & Rosie will save a family of four over 800 sugar cubes a year. It’s a simple swap and one of the many things we can all do to help reduce our sugar intake, particularly for our children.
When we talk about our children’s health it is so important to understand that everyone sees things a little differently. Health is emotive and ultimately most people (parents, wider family, teachers, schools, our NHS, retailers and communities) are doing the best that they can.
What we do know is that obesity levels in children are rising. In fact, in 2022, NHS England reported the highest levels of childhood obesity since records began. In 2023, by Year 6, 36.6% of our children were overweight or obese, with the prevalence of severe obesity being four times higher in the most deprived areas (9.2%) compared with those living in the least deprived areas (2.1%).
“We need transparency from field to fork and collaboration across government, the private and the public sector to truly begin to drive impactful change.”
All children are different shapes and sizes and all are beautiful – that is a part of what makes them special. I’m certainly not here to tell anyone what they can or cannot feed to their children. It is of course a choice. But I believe that education is key. We need to talk to families about what is in their food. We need transparency from field to fork and collaboration across government, the private and the public sector to truly begin to drive impactful change.
The latest report from The British Medical Journal suggests that HFSS legislation (often known as the ‘sugar tax’) is working. And if we can help to change the foods that our nation is eating, what impact will that have on our schools and longer term on the NHS?
As is often the case, it is collaboration that will help deliver change. As a parent, a former teacher and a business leader I want to help and to contribute to the narrative surrounding children’s health. I want healthy starts, for all children. In fact, I started my business because I wanted there to be a brand that stepped up and supported families (and schools) in providing access to healthier lower sugar jam for everyone.
We have a long way to go and there will always be so much more we can do. Our job starts with ensuring healthier foods are accessible for all families. And collectively we can (and will!) make that positive impact and play our small part in driving healthy change.
By Rachel Kettlewell, founder, Fearne & Rosie