News • Children's Food Campaign
Children's Food Campaign gave evidence to the Health Select Committee
Children’s Food Campaign Co-ordinator Malcolm Clark was invited to give evidence to the Health Select Committee as part of their special inquiry into the Government's childhood obesity strategy. There, Mr. Clark along with Prof Graeme MacGregor, chairman of Action on Sugar, and Dr Paul Darragh, a member of the British Medical Association's board of science, made the case for the introduction of a sugary drinks duty as well as the need to tighten current regulations regarding marketing to children.
Prof MacGregor said there was evidence from Finland and Mexico that a sugar tax worked. He told MPs: "I don't think we need any more evidence. We should put a sugar tax in straight away, particularly on soft drinks…We know that taxes work on alcohol and cigarette consumption, and they will work on sweetened soft drinks."
"The way some sportsmen - a prominent footballer and some crisps, or even Subway and a Brazilian footballer - the way they sponsor unhealthy foods, we need to look at that," said Dr Darragh on why rules need to be tightened on advertising of unhealthy food and drinks. He claims this is necessary not only for TV but also internet sites, within online games played by children, and in sponsorship of school activities and sports.
And Malcolm added that a ban on TV ads for unhealthy products during children's programming should also cover family shows like X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. "With shows like X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, children can be seeing up to six less healthy food adverts per hour," he told the committee. "It's about closing that loophole and saying nine o'clock should be the watershed.”
Watch a recording of the Committee hearing
Read the statements given by Malcolm and other witnesses
Published Wednesday 14 October 2015
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.
