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New Statesman
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
Henley Regatta's parade of manners
Illustration by Charlotte Trounce I never thought I would curse myself for not owning a straw boater. What use does someone like me – a fierce devotee to the metropole, allergic to trace amounts of kitsch, irredeemably Irish – have for a hat like that? On Friday I found out: I was off to Henley Regatta and in search of something to wear. I wanted it to say 'the Home Counties are my sunlit uplands, I am a shire Tory'. If only for the hat! With its taste-adjacent mock-Tudor, primary-school bunting, wood-panelled motor boats, glittering stretch of river and ambient waterfowl, Henley-on-Thames might have claim to be Britain's nicest town – if you are into that sort of thing. It is at least technically close to truth: its parliamentary constituency is in the top ten least deprived in all of the United Kingdom. And unlike Holland Park, or Bath, or Oddington – where these people might otherwise live – it is quiet. Mary Berry lives here. I don't know where Cath Kidston lives but I can tell you that she would like it too. The Notable Businesses section of Henley's Wikipedia entry is rather short. In fact, I will report it to you in full: 'Organic baby food manufacturer Ella's Kitchen is headquartered in Henley-on-Thames.' (Ends.) A mid-pandemic trip to Eastbourne, a seaside resort on the south coast, made me wonder whether anyone had told the residents there that the war was over. On the banks of the river in Henley with boats full of Krug and ruddy-faced men drifting past, it is almost as if the 20th century had never even happened. Henley exists in an eternal sun-dappled afternoon in 1899. Suffering is relative, but I suspect not much of it goes on here. Take all of that and dial it up to 11 and you have Henley during the annual six-day Royal Regatta – the world's most prestigious rowing event, so I'm told. And a highlight of England's social calendar, so I worked out myself. 'If you go to Ascot, you go to Henley,' some polite 19-year-olds (recent graduates of Bedford School) explained to me as they shared a pitcher of Pimms at the Catherine Wheel – or, in other words, the world's poshest Spoons. The banks of the river are thronged with men in striped rowing blazers (each colourway a secret code for the school they would have been caned at 50 years ago) and women in floral dresses (one mistakenly wore a fascinator, singling herself out as a conspicuous arriviste – tut tut!). As I snaked my way through the crowd – primitively, still longing for the boater – I heard of two separate men called Orlando, I saw one straw-hatted broadsheet columnist, and I drowned in a sound bath of RP. It was diverse of age, if nothing else: the blazers a uniting force between young and aged, all Old Boys at the end of the day. This Oxfordshire town was once the seat of Michael Heseltine and Boris Johnson – but now, for the first time since 1910, the Tories no longer reign over their leafy riverine heartland. The Liberal Democrats stormed through David Cameron's England last year and even the residents of Henley – the only place in Britain that still thinks Lord Salisbury is prime minister – were convinced by the pitch. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe I wonder if the contemporary Tories put down the migrant crime statistics and swapped them for a pair of deck shoes, their friends in Henley may come back to their side. I suspect, in the very least, the two Orlandos would. I tried on a boater: charming! I think. I understand these people… I say, imbued with confidence afforded by a straw hat – these are the good-time radicals, the uncool elites, the posh people cosplaying as even posher people. Easy. And then a boat passes with some small children, a young blonde woman and a man in a stetson. Flapping from the stern, in the light and wealthy Henley breeze, was a Confederate flag. 'It's just bad manners,' someone from the bank harrumphs. Is it just bad manners? So I thought: time to go. Back to London. I don't get this at all. You do NOT need the hat, Finn. [See also: Would you take financial advice from Rishi Sunak?] Related
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Horrifying truth about baby food pouches that contain alarming amounts of nasty ingredient
A BBC Panorama investigation found that some popular baby food pouches contain more of certain ingredients than a one-year-old should have in an entire day, as well as lacking essential nutrients Some popular baby food pouches sold in UK supermarkets — including those by Ella's Kitchen — contain more of one unhealthy ingredient than a one-year-old should consume in an entire day, it has been revealed. Government guidelines recommend that infants have as little sugar as possible, with a maximum of 10g per day. However, laboratory testing commissioned by a BBC Panorama investigation found that some products exceeded this, with one pouch from Ella's Kitchen containing a staggering 19.6g of sugar, equivalent to more than four teaspoons — more than is found in many fizzy drinks. The investigation also revealed that most products tested failed to provide sufficient vitamin C or iron, both essential nutrients for infants' growth and development. READ MORE: Boy, 3, dies in scorching hot 31C car after step-mum forgets to take him to nursery Experts described the findings as 'really concerning' and criticised misleading marketing, such as 'no added sugar' claims. While technically true — no sugar is added — the process of pureeing fruit releases free sugars, making them more rapidly absorbable than those in whole fruit. Free sugars include those naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices, or released during processing — like when fruit is pureed. Unlike eating whole fruit, where sugars are contained within cell walls, pureed fruit can lead to sugar spikes and increased risk of tooth decay and obesity. Dr. Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, highlighted the impact on dental health, saying: 'We're seeing children barely out of weaning needing multiple tooth extractions. It's not all down to baby food pouches, but they're clearly contributing to the problem.' Over 250 baby food pouches are currently on sale in the UK, favoured by parents for their convenience and long shelf life. As part of the investigation, the BBC tested fruit, yoghurt, and savoury pouches from six leading brands and supermarkets: Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi, and Lidl. Little Freddie and Piccolo both defended the accuracy of their labelling, while Ella's Kitchen said it "would never use misleading claims." Heinz declined to respond to questions about marketing. The BBC also found 'halo marketing' was widespread - branding products with phrases like 'Good for Brains' or 'as nutritionally good as homemade' despite questionable nutritional value. When it came to savoury pouches — often used by parents as a main meal — all tested products failed to meet iron requirements. An infant needs 7.8mg of iron daily, but the highest level found in any pouch was just 1mg, with some meat-based options delivering as little as 0.1mg. Vitamin C levels were also alarmingly low. In one case, Piccolo's Pure Mango pouch retained less than 0.1mg of vitamin C — compared to 18.2mg found in the same quantity of fresh mango. This is far below the recommended 25mg daily intake for infants. Although Public Health England drafted voluntary baby food guidelines in 2020, they have yet to be published under either the current Labour-led or previous Conservative governments. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by stating that food safety laws already ensure baby food claims must be clear and accurate, and reiterated its commitment to improving children's health and tackling obesity through its broader Plan for Change.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Baby food pouches fail to give infants the nutrients they need, experts reveal
Baby food pouches from six leading brands fail to meet children's key nutritional needs, researchers found. Brightly packaged products made by Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi and Lidl were tested for their nutritional value and found to be lacking. As well as being low in iron, which is vital for an infant's development, some contained more sugar than a one-year-old should consume in a day – despite being marked as containing 'no added sugar'. The BBC Panorama investigation also found that nearly all the vitamin C in one fruit pouch had been lost during the manufacturing process. Dr Alison Tedstone, a former government chief nutritionist, said the nutritional claims of baby food pouches were 'misleading', adding: 'You think as a parent it is a healthy product, and it just isn't.' Dental experts also warned against feeding babies through the plastic spout on pouches, as this may cause tooth decay. Eddie Crouch, of the British Dental Association, said: 'Parents of infants are still being marketed products more sugary than Coke. Voluntary action has failed. We need government to step up and force industry to do the right thing.' Children who were 'barely out of weaning' were going to hospital for multiple tooth extractions, Mr Crouch told the BBC. 'It's obviously not all down to these pouches,' he added. 'But clearly, regular use and feeding with these pouches with such high levels of sugar cause serious problems to the general health of children as they're growing up.' Pouches that do not contain added sugar may contain up to four teaspoons of 'free sugars' created when fruit is blended. Last year, an international study found more than 200 branded food products aimed at UK babies and toddlers failed to meet World Health Organisation nutrition and marketing standards, with excessive sugar, salt or calories. Experts say big brands surround their products with healthy-sounding words and phrases – known as 'halo marketing' – to trick parents. Ella's Kitchen, for example, describes savoury products as 'perfectly balanced for growing babies', while Piccolo claims many pouches are 'packed with goodness'. Some Little Freddie pouches are branded as 'Good for Brains' and Heinz claims some of its fruit products are 'as nutritionally good as homemade'. Market leader Ella's Kitchen agreed its products should be used sparingly, were not replacements for homemade meals and could cause health problems if used as children's main source of nutrition. The firm added that it would 'never, ever' put profit above the health of children. Lidl said it welcomed clear government guidelines, Little Freddie said it actively participated in policy consultations and Piccolo said it developed 'recipes that combine fruits with vegetables' to reduce sugar levels. Aldi said it would relabel its fruit pouches to reflect NHS guidance that babies should not be given solid food until the age of six months.
Times
28-04-2025
- Health
- Times
‘Healthy' baby food pouches ‘lack vital nutrients'
Baby food pouches from six leading brands are failing to meet the nutritional needs of babies and toddlers, a BBC investigation has found. Eighteen pouches of baby food, made by Ella's Kitchen, Heinz, Piccolo, Little Freddie, Aldi and Lidl, were found to be low in vitamin C and iron. Some also contained more sugar than a one-year-old should have in a day. A laboratory approved by the UK Accreditation Service was commissioned by the Panorama programme to test the nutritional value of fruit, yoghurt and savoury pouch from each of the six brands. Some savoury pouches contained less than 5 per cent of the iron an infant needs in a day, and some of them had high levels of sugar. The tests also found that
The Guardian
28-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Leading baby food brands making high-sugar meals, study finds
Top brands such as Ella's Kitchen and Heinz are making sugar-heavy, nutritionally poor baby food that fails to meet the needs of infants, a study has found. The discovery has spurred on groups to call for ministers to strengthen regulation in the market, saying that the current state of affairs will negatively affect child growth and development. Researchers at the University of Leeds School of Food Science and Nutrition found that some brands also carried misleading marketing claims, leading them to urge the government to 'act now' in imposing the same traffic light system found on chocolate bars and ice-cream. Ella's Kitchen pear and peach baby rice was found to have a rice content of only 3%; while sugar made up 60% of its calories. Heinz fruity banana custard gets 71% of its total calories from sugar, with its ingredients only containing 4% milk powder; while its Baby Oat porridge is 29% sugar. The study, funded by the Which? Fund, looked at 632 food products marketed towards babies and toddlers under three. It found that 41% of main meals marketed for children had sugar levels that were too high and that 21% of ready-to-eat fruit products, cereals and meals were too watery and not providing adequate nutrition. It also discovered that many early weaning foods were being sold as being suitable for babies aged four months, which goes against NHS and World Health Organization guidance. The study also found that a quarter of the products analysed were so high in sugar they would require a sugar warning label on the front of the pack, in accordance with WHO guidelines. According to NHS guidelines, babies aged one should have no more than 10g of sugar per day, and no more than 14g per day for children aged two and three. The sugar recommendation is applicable to naturally occurring free sugars and added sugars. The report also surveyed more than 1,000 parents. It found that 70% of parents agreed that high sugar baby foods should have front-of-pack warning labels; while 59% were concerned about the high levels of naturally occurring sugars in food. Dr Diane Threapleton, the lead author of the study, said: 'Voluntary guidelines are often ineffective, and so regulation is needed to make sure that change happens. 'With around 1.7 million children between six and 36 months in the UK, 'baby food' is a massive market. Widespread availability of inappropriate products with poor nutritional quality will negatively impact child growth and development.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Dr Vicky Sibson, the director of First Steps Nutrition Trust, said: 'As a result of pervasive misleading marketing, parents are unwittingly buying products that are simply not good enough nutritionally. Stronger, mandatory baby food regulations are long overdue.' Sue Davies, the head of food policy at Which?, said: 'The government urgently needs to update the out-of-date laws for commercial baby foods to ensure there are tighter controls on their composition – including limits on their sugar and salt content – make labelling clear and upfront and clamp down on any misleading marketing claims that suggest products are healthier than they really are.' A spokesperson for Ella's Kitchen said: 'There is nothing misleading about the name of this product. It follows strict legislation on how foods must be named, and clearly reflects exactly what is in the pouch – pears, peach and baby rice – in order of quantity. 'Our 'no added sugar' claim is legally approved – and absolutely accurate. We never add sugar to our weaning products; all the sweetness comes naturally from the fruit and veg we use to make them.' A spokesman for Kraft Heinz said: 'We're proud of the role we play in families' lives and remain committed to the health and wellbeing of infants and young children. We provide quality products based on nutrition science that meet the nutrient requirements specific to this life stage and adhere to stringent UK/EU regulation. 'Our convenient, resealable pouches, made from natural ingredients with no added sugars, should be used as a complementary part of a varied weaning diet (six+ months) and are designed to be squeezed into a bowl or straight on to a spoon – as communicated on pack.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Existing laws already set nutrition needs for baby foods, and we support enforcement against any product that does not meet these expectations.'
