Unilever has been targeted by a cohort of influential global investors calling on the consumer goods giant to address a “blind spot” over the healthiness of the food and drink products it sells.

Almost a dozen investors overseeing $215bn, including the Greater Manchester pension fund and asset managers Candriam and CLLA, have co-filed a shareholder resolution with the makers of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Hellman’s Mayonnaise, which is widely regarded as a leader in sustainable business.