Plans to ban junk food and candies from supermarket checkouts have also been ditched, but the government is pressing ahead with a proposed “sugar tax” on soft drinks, for which it today issued a consultation.
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Drinks companies were also angered by the plan which urges industry to cut sugar in products aimed at children, saying almost a third of those aged 2 to 15 are already overweight or obese.
Health experts, campaigners, MPs and the CEO of one of Britain’s biggest supermarkets have criticised the United Kingdom government’s child obesity plan, describing it as “weak” and “watered down”.
“The current health star labelling system is flawed, because it is voluntary, confusing, and rates many foods with high concentrations of sugar as healthy”, he says.
“The introduction of this tax is an important step toward addressing obesity and will make a strong statement that New Zealand, as a society, values health over corporate profits”. He added: “This stark difference is so significant and, for me, this is a strategy of inaction, not action”.
It has been the subject of conversation and debate for months, but the long-awaited release of the government’s childhood obesity plan has left health experts unimpressed. It contains a few nice ideas, but so much is missing.
“The Childhood Obesity Plan includes improved public information and resources; increasing physical activity, some of which will be done in education settings; actions for the health sector, and the food and beverage industry”.
“With this disappointing and, frankly, underwhelming strategy, the health of our future generations remains at stake”, he said.
Sara Petersson, nutrition analyst, said: “In order to fight the current crisis, we will have to take on a more global approach to improving our diets”.
Mike Coupe, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, said the strategy had fallen well short of being a comprehensive plan. In January, the FSS board agreed a package of proposals, including regulation on food and drink promotions, portion-size reductions and tougher targets on the salt, sugar and fat content of foods and drinks.
“We agree with the government that obesity rates are too high, but we do not believe a tax on only some soft drinks with sugar will reduce them”, said a spokesman for Coca-Cola.
The strategy confirmed the Government would go ahead with the “sugar tax” on soft drinks announced by former chancellor George Osborne, but relies on voluntary action by the industry to reduce unhealthy sugar levels in other products aimed at children.
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But Gavin Partington, the Director General of the British Soft Drinks Association, said the levy was a “punitive tax” that would “cause thousands of job losses and yet fail to have a meaningful impact on levels of obesity”. Therefore, Theresa May is absolutely right to focus attention on sports and exercise in schools, while the people who must bear most responsibility for children’s health are not public officials but parents. “Exercise is good but exercise alone will not curb obesity”, said Professor Neena Modi, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
