UK Government to Water Down Restrictions on Advertising Food Deemed Unhealthy

In a watering down of initial government proposals, food companies will only be “challenged” about over promoting foods deemed unhealthy, according to a report in The Times newspaper.

A complete ban on advertisements for foods deemed unhealthy before the 9pm watershed has not been included in plans, according to leaked drafts of government proposals.

 

The government documents appear to show how plans for a strict clampdown on food manufacturers have been removed.

 

According to the report, the climb down can be attributed to lobbying from food manufacturers.

 

In January the draft strategy had stated: “The food and drinks industry will be given six months to come up with plans to reduce overall sugar in products consumed by children by around 20 per cent in five years, including a 5 per cent reduction in year one.”

 

A legal maximum level of sugar in products was among the measures threatened if companies fell short.

 

The latest draft, circulated this week, removes any threats and says only that “the food and drinks industry will be challenged to reduce overall sugar in products that contribute to children’s sugar intakes”.

 

In January the draft strategy had stated: “The food and drinks industry will be given six months to come up with plans to reduce overall sugar in products consumed by children by around 20 per cent in five years, including a 5 per cent reduction in year one.”

 

Graham MacGregor, director of Action on Sugar, said: “It’s a pathetic plan and it won’t have any effect on childhood obesity. Last year it was a really good plan but it’s been gradually eroded. Theresa May has got to go back and revise this completely.”

 

Speaking to the Times, Neena Modi, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, urged Mr Hunt to “put the teeth back” in the plans.

 

“If we’re going to rely on the goodwill of industry then I have grave concerns that the strategy is likely to be ineffective,” she said.

 

Susan Jebb, who led efforts to broker a voluntary deal with the industry under the coalition, said that the strategy lacked a “plan B” if companies did not comply. “It sounds like business as usual,” she said.

 

The Department of Health said: “Any suggestion that we are diminishing the ambition or measures we will take to reduce child obesity would be quite wrong at this point.”