Bitter failure! Food giants cut sugar by just 3%

The food industry has fallen woefully short of its goal to cut sugar in products by a fifth – instead reducing levels by just 3 per cent.

The failure of the voluntary reduction plan has renewed calls by campaigners for mandatory targets.

The figures in a report by Public health england covering 2015 to 2019 leave Britain losing the fight against obesity and tooth decay, experts warn.

Sugary products including chocolate and sweets have become more popular with sales up 16 per cent and 7 per cent respectively since 2015.

Campaigners want to impose mandatory calorie reduction programmes, similar to the soft drinks levy, which is one area that has seen positive results.

There has been a 44 per cent fall in sugar in fizzy drinks in the past five years, with many companies taking out sugar to avoid the tax.

According to the report, most adults and children in england consume more than double the maximum recommended daily amount of sugar.

Graham MacGregor, of campaign group Action on Sugar, said the Government should remember the health impact of high sugar intakes.

he said: ‘While the Government gets to grips with the current Covid-19 pandemic, it mustn’t ignore that the situation is fuelling the UK’s other pandemics – obesity, Type 2 diabetes and tooth decay – all linked to high sugar intakes which the food industry is largely responsible for.’

The report showed sugar in biscuits had fallen by just 1.6 per cent since 2015, while cereals were down 13.3 per cent, chocolate bars 0.4 per cent and cakes 4.8 per cent – all well below the 20 per cent target.

Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Phe, admitted ‘progress remains too slow’.

She said: ‘Faster and more robust action is needed to help us consume less sugar, which will help us become healthier and lower the economic burden of obesity and preventable pressure on the NhS.’

British Dental Association chairman eddie Crouch said: ‘Britain is losing the war on sugar because ministers remain unwilling to really put up a fight. Voluntary action from industry on reformulation is making next to no headway. We need a real sense of urgency, wedded to mandatory targets.’

‘Faster and more robust action’