Sarah Wollaston, Tory chair of the health select committee, said it had been watered down.
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Progress is to be measured on the basis of reductions in the sales-weighted average sugar content per 100 g of food and drink (calculated by weighting the contribution of individual products in a category according to volume sales), reductions in portion size, or a sales shift towards lower-sugar alternatives.
What’s in the government’s plan?
While the strategy has introduced targets for reducing the amount of sugar in food and drink products by 20% by 2020, these are exclusively voluntary measures, which the campaigners have attacked for following what they considered to be the failed Public Health Responsibility Deal (PHRD) initiative between government and industry.
He praised a sugar tax on soft drinks, but said too much of the plan was voluntary.
So secondly, we will be asking primary schools and parents to make sure every pupil gets at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day, with at least 30 minutes to be delivered in school through active break times, PE and extra-curricular clubs.
According to strategy document “Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action”, the UK’s recent decision to leave the European Union gives greater flexibility to determine the information that should be presented on packaged food, and how it should be displayed.
The government plan involves a voluntary 20% sugar reduction scheme.
A tax on sugary drinks is scheduled to come into effect in 2018.
Sarah Wollaston, Tory chair of the Health Select Committee, said the plan “puts the interests of the advertising industry ahead of the interests of children”.
However, measures favoured by public health experts they say will reduce those numbers – such as a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm and supermarket price promotions – are noticeable absent from the strategy.
Although much was achieved by manufacturers in reducing salt over the years, it proved less successful in cutting sugar and salt levels.
But health campaigners slammed the government for failing to restrict junk food advertising aimed at children.
Labour’s Dianne Abbott tweeted: “Theresa May has given in to food & drink industry at the expense of our children’s health”.
With reports that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had wanted tougher measures but been overruled by Mrs May, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron questioned why it had been left to a Treasury minister to launch the report.
While today’s announcement supported a sugar levy and self-regulation by the food industry, the report made no mention of expected restrictions limiting the marketing and advertising of unhealthy foods to children. The fear was children would face a rising tide of ill-health from obesity well into the future. “We will measure progress carefully and are not ruling out further action if results are not seen”.
Professor Parveen Kumar, chairwoman of the British Medical Association’s board of science, told ITV News it looked as though the government had “rowed back on its promises” by announcing “a weak plan rather than the robust strategy it had promised”.
“A single 330ml can of a soft drink with added sugar (which can contain as much as 35g of sugar), may instantly take a child over their maximum recommended daily intake of sugar”. Public Health England published a report past year on sugar reduction which began with the words, “We are eating too much sugar and it is bad for our health”.
“It is an unforgivable missed opportunity”.
The LGA’s portfolio holder for community wellbeing, cllr Izzi Seccombe, said: ‘It is disappointing that a number of these key asks have not been included in the plan and we will continue to press government for them to be introduced.
What do industry figures say?
It said: “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”.
Ian Wright, director general of the Food & Drink Federation, said: Food and drink manufacturers recognise our responsibility in meeting the challenges posed by obesity.
“At a time of economic uncertainty the government needs to be supporting these businesses and working with industry to support actions that are already making a difference, such as reformulation, smaller packs, and more marketing of the many no sugar options now available”, Partington said.
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Firstly, a new Soft Drinks Industry Levy.
