Three years ago Sainsbury's set a company-wide target to try to get each of its customers to spend an extra £1.41 per week.
Harrison's pay and bonuses speech was set in the context of how HR should align its reward structure with company policy.
But when quizzed by HR magazine at the CIPD Conference, Harrison admitted there was no distinction made about whether the extra spend it was incentivising managers to get was on ‘good' food - fresh fruit and vegetables - or on ‘bad foods' - those with high levels of sugar, salt and fat. This is despite Sainsbury's own CSR report saying it was ‘Best for health' in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
She said: "We set no targets for x% of this extra spend having to come from the healthy aisle. Customers are free to chose what they want to buy."
The admission follows claims supermarkets are more likely to entice consumers to buy unhealthy foods. A recent survey by the National Consumer Council found only one in eight promotions featured fruit and vegetables. More than half of promotions (54%) relate to foods high in fat and sugar. This is despite the Food Standards Agency advice, which says these foods should make up 7% of diets.
Harrison denied Sainsbury's bonuses were based on making people fatter.
