That’s the slightly bizarre claim being made in the Daily Express and Daily Mail today.

Residents of Stockport need only pop into their local chippy to confirm that the story isn’t true, but where’s it come from?  Here’s the slightly less exciting truth behind the fiction:

ASK CAMPAIGN – ENCOURAGING A REDUCED SALT USE

Dr Peter Elton, Lead Greater Manchester Director of Public Health for cardiovascular disease, said:

“The purpose of the Greater Manchester ASK campaign is not to deprive customers of their desired salt intake but to encourage people to taste their food first rather than adding salt to food out of habit, especially as chefs already season food.

“Eating too much salt can increase blood pressure. People with an increased blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. In Greater Manchester more than 6,000 people are affected by strokes each year and approximately 5,000 people die of coronary heart disease.

“ASK is a voluntary scheme where food establishments have the option of placing salt shakers behind counters and replacing them with ASK tent cards which are in full view to clients. This way if clients want to add more salt all they need to do is ask, they are not being made to feel stigmatised.

“This is part of a Greater Manchester public health funded initiative which has been backed by all 10 local authorities as a way of trying to reduce heart conditions attributed to excessive salt use.

So salt isn’t being banned, no-one is being forced to hide the salt and it’s a Greater Manchester health initiative being supported by ten Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem councils.

There’s probably something the stories got right, if you look hard enough.