The seven largest supermarket chains are signing up to the responsibility deal More than 170 companies - including the leading supermarket chains - have signed up to the "responsibility deal" to encourage healthier lifestyles.
The full details will be unveiled later, but pledges on calorie counts on menus and clearer labelling on drinks are expected to be made.The voluntary agreements for England cover four themes - physical activity, food, alcohol and health at work.
Ministers said the approach would achieve more than legislation could.
They will highlight the agreement to ensure 80% of alcoholic drinks carry labels about the number of units they contain by 2013. At the moment just 15% do.
Speaking ahead of the publication of the responsibility deal, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Industry has agreed to take action on a voluntary basis.
"The alternative is to use legislation and this means taking the EU route, which could take years. We want to do more at greater speed."
'Worst possible deal' He was forced to defend the approach after six health groups pulled out of the alcohol strand on Monday, arguing the government was being too soft on the industry.
Alcohol Concern said the deal represented "the worst possible deal for everyone who wants to see alcohol harm reduced".
The move represented a blow to the government's attempt to forge a partnership between health, government and industry.
But news that seven major supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Waitrose, were on board means the deal will have a reach into virtually every household in the country.
One of the pledges is likely to see Asda promise not to promote alcohol at the front of their stores.
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End Quote Andrew Opie British Retail ConsortiumCustomers make the final decision about what goes in their baskets but retailers do a lot to help shoppers look after their own and their families' health”
The retailer will also promise to invest £1m in community projects.
Meanwhile, over the weekend Heineken announced it would cut the alcohol content of one of its major brands after signing up to the responsibility deal.The firm, which makes drinks including Foster's, John Smith's, Strongbow and Bulmers, will also carry unit information on all its branded drinking glasses.
Other drink firms, including Diageo and Carlsberg, will also put their name to pledges.
A host of restaurant chains, including McDonald's and KFC, are also expected to agree to introduce calorie details on menus, while manufacturers will promise to further reductions in the salt and fat content of foods.
These are schemes that are already being rolled out, but the firms will promise to go further, faster than they have to date.
And a number of big employers, including Mars and Unilever, will promise to share their expertise in managing workplace health with small companies.
Andrew Opie, of the British Retail Consortium, said the deal was a "significant development".
He added: "Customers make the final decision about what goes in their baskets but retailers do a lot to help shoppers look after their own and their families' health."
But shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said: "The truth is that you cannot conflate corporate responsibility with public health.
"While the government needs to work very closely with business and industry, all the big changes in public health over the last 200 years have been done in the face of huge corporate and commercial interests."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12737200
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