Children's Food Campaign rubbishes Responsibility Deal calorie reduction pledges

Responding to the Department of Health's 'Calories to be capped and cut' Responsibility Deal announcement, Charlie Powell, Campaigns Director for the Children's Food Campaign said:

"It is shameful that the Department of Health is fuelling an industry game of smoke and mirrors instead of demanding enforceable actions to reduce calorie content.

Without an end to junk food marketing promotions, these token gestures become totally irrelevant.

We note that the calorie reduction examples only cover small proportions of companies' products and that big names such as McDonald's, Burger King and KFC are conspicuously missing.

New ranges are all very well, but every food company should to commit to permanently reducing calories across the all their products."

Ends

For further information and interviews, please contact Charlie Powell on 0203 5596 777 or 07817 746786

Notes:

1) The Children’s Food Campaign aims to improve young people’s health and well-being through better food – and food teaching – in schools and by protecting children from junk food marketing.  We are supported by over 150 national organisations and co-ordinated by Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.  For more information see www.childrensfood.org.uk

2) For information about the Government’s Responsibility Deal, including its “Calories to be capped and cut” press release (from 24/03/12) visit: http://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/

3) McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC are not mentioned in the Department of Health’s media release.