News • Children's Food Campaign
Government must hold firm on actions to tackle childhood obesity, says Children’s Food Campaign
The Children’s Food Campaign calls on Government to keep pressing ahead with proposals and consultations in response to an industry letter signed by 30 trade associations asking the Government to delay. This includes consultations announced in its Childhood Obesity Plan, including further restrictions on promotions and advertising of sugary foods.
The call from Children's Food Campaign to stay on track comes following Sky News reports that 30 trade associations, including the Food and Drink Federation, have written to Ministers asking them to suspend and delay several food and drink consultations, citing the current Brexit crisis and risk of a no-deal scenario.
Barbara Crowther, Co-ordinator of Children’s Food Campaign says,
“Government must hold firm and not succumb to pressure to postpone action to act on childhood obesity, as they promised to do in 2018. As charities and health bodies, we have far fewer resources than these massive food companies, and yet we are working hard to respond to all the government consultations. It’s up to them if they want to do the same. Government should not be bribed to delay its action on sugar.”
A consultation to end location and volume-based price promotions of products high in fat salt and sugar (HFSS), originally planned in 2018, was finally published in January and remains open until 6 April. Meanwhile, proposals to introduce a 9pm watershed for junk food advertising, both on TV and online, remain delayed, although it is understood they will be revealed in coming weeks.
Published Monday 11 February 2019
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
