MPs urge supermarket ‘pantomime villains’ to remove unhealthy sweets and snacks from children’s ‘eye level’ displays and focus on discounting healthy food to help battle against obesity
- Report by All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on A Fit and Healthy Childhood
- Firms like Tesco and, Sainsbury’s, Asda can have ‘leading role’ in fighting fatness
- Want child-level sweet displays removed and cheaper fruit and veg to help poor
APPG chairman and Labour MP Steve McCabe said: ‘Supermarkets are often seen as the pantomime villain in a national battle against obesity’
Supermarkets should axe sweet displays aimed at children and introduce discounts on healthy alternative foods to help battle obesity and rid them of their ‘pantomime villain’ image, MPs warned today.
Mass retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda can have a ‘leading role’ in helping cut the number of unhealthy overweight Britons if they make changes to the way they market food, they found in a new report.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on A Fit and Healthy Childhood unveiled a list of measures supermarkets should take to help improve the nation’s health.
As well as cutting down on promoting sugary, fatty or salty foods they should use their marketing skills to push people towards healthier alternatives, the suggested.
APPG chairman and Labour MP Steve McCabe said: ‘Supermarkets are often seen as the pantomime villain in a national battle against obesity and associated serious health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
‘The charge list against supermarkets includes nudging shoppers into unhealthy purchases to get cash tills ringing, perpetuating an obesogenic environment at odds with Government healthy eating guidelines and fuelling ”pester power” at the expense of cash-strapped families.
‘We show that supermarkets can take a leading role in helping to solve the obesity epidemic.
Mass retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Tesco can have a ‘leading role’ in helping cut the number of unhealthy overweight Britons if they make changes to the way they market food, they found in a new report
‘They have a unique place in the hearts of UK families and it’s time for them to step up in the 21st century cause of safeguarding the health of the population and the planet.’
In their report, Healthy Families: The Present and Future Role of the Supermarket, the backbench MPs suggested a range of actions by retailers, including:
- ‘Re-balance’ promotions and money-off deals away from products that are high in fat, sugar and/or salt (HFSS) to healthier foods so poorer people can take advantage of them.
- Offer price discounts and promotions on healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables
- Use their logos and leaflets to promote healthy eating
- Control the criteria for ‘child eye-level’ product placement
- Offer promotions on healthier, culturally-appropriate products to engage people from ethnic minority groups
- Expand own brand product ranges to include ‘healthy, affordable snacks’ or offer help to small businesses who already make them but lack market access.
Report author Helen Clark said the Government also had to work alongside supermarkets to help them ‘drive healthier consumption’.
‘A significant proportion of HFSS food and drink is bought on temporary price reduction and any mechanism to reduce the purchase of unhealthy food and drink on this type of offer has potential for significant gains in tackling obesity,’ she said.
The Government should consider the application of legislative controls (with built-in review process) on price and multi-buy promotions.
‘It is the Government’s duty to ensure that all households can thrive as well as survive and policies must ultimately be directed to making healthy food less expensive than unhealthy food for the benefit of all families – and supermarket shoppers – in the UK.’