Jamie’s intervention raises bar for Government’s forthcoming Childhood Obesity strategy

The Children's Food Campaign applauds the ambition of Jamie's new push to reduce children's sugar consumption, and looks to the Government to respond positively and ‘think big’ with its Childhood Obesity Strategy. Malcolm Clark, co-ordinator of the Campaign, said:

“All options should be on the Prime Minister’s table to protect children’s health. In Sugar Rush, Jamie Oliver sets out a harrowing case for why reducing sugar from children’s diets and their view is both necessary and urgent.  This documentary should mark the moment that the Government decided to stop relying on failed voluntary deals with industry and advertising self-regulation, and instead considered implementing robust, evidence-based measures as part of their new Childhood Obesity Strategy.”

“Jamie has thrown down a simple challenge: increase the price of sugary drinks, to encourage families to switch away from buying them, and for the money raised to pay for programmes which will benefit children’s health and the environment they grow up in. We encourage people to follow the lead not only of Jamie but of many doctors, dentists, dietitians and other public health experts in backing the call for a 20p per litre duty on sugary drinks, and signing the petition asking the Government to introduce it.”

The Sugar Rush documentary and Jamie’s accompanying sugar manifesto back Children’s Food Campaign and British Heart Foundation’s calls for the ban of all junk food marketing on TV before 9pm, alongside the introduction of more robust digital marketing regulations.  Jamie also gives strong voice to our Junk Free Checkouts campaign, calling on retailers to follow the lead of Lidl, Tesco, Aldi in removing less healthy items from the tills and queuing areas.

Referencing industry’s attempts to shift the focus onto consumer choice and education, Malcolm Clark also added:

“The conversations Jamie’s intervention on sugar will spark in people’s homes, on the sofa and around the dinner table, are important. Families need to better understand how much sugar is in their food and drink, and why reducing consumption is important. But ultimately, it is industry action to reformulate products, change marketing practices, improve labelling and make healthier options more available and affordable which will make the real difference – and that can only be achieved through strong government action.”

Media Contact:

For further information, and for interviews, please contact Malcolm Clark, co-ordinator of Children's Food Campaign, on malcolm@sustainweb.org / 07733322148 / 0203 5596 777