Welsh Government launches healthy eating consultations to help shape a healthier Wales

RUNNING UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1, THE CONSULTATIONS GIVE PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS, IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EASIER FOR ALL

RISING rates of obesity are a concern in Wales, with over one in four children in the country about to start school as overweight or obese.*

The effects of being overweight or obese in adulthood can have serious physical and mental health consequences - it increases vulnerability to viruses like Covid-19 and is linked to chronic health conditions such as diabetes and certain forms of cancer.

The Welsh Government has launched its Healthy Food Environment and Energy Drink consultations, which give the people of Wales the chance to have their say on how we can make the healthy choice, the easy choice.

The Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle, said:

“Creating a healthier Wales is one of the Welsh Government’s top priorities, and with the public’s help and by working together, we can improve everyone’s diet and reverse the decline in our population’s health which has built up over several generations.”

“The food and drink we consume impacts our health more than we realise. If we make it easier for people to choose healthier diets, then more people will lead longer and healthier lives.”

In this Q&A, we ask the Deputy Minister about the reasons behind the consultations, as well as how the Welsh Government thinks its proposals can help improve people’s health across the country.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTHY FOOD ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY DRINK CONSULTATIONS?

We want to hear people’s views on the ways we can make it easier for everyone to eat and drink more healthily. That’s why I launched these consultations. We are asking the public what new rules should be introduced and how far they should go.

The two consultations – our ‘Healthy Food Environment’ and ‘Proposal to end the sale of energy drinks to children under 16’ – are both available online. There, people can give their opinions on the ideas we have put forward to help make Wales a healthier place.

They will be available until September 1, 2022, and we will publish a consultation response for both by the end of the year.

WHAT CHANGES ARE YOU PROPOSING TO MAKE WITHIN SHOPS AND SUPERMARKETS?

These days, we are never far away from the temptation of foods that are high in fat, sugar or salt, and in our everyday lives, we are exposed to advertising, promotions and pricing which push us towards choosing these food and drink options.

That’s why our proposals include restricting promotions for food and drink which are high in fat, sugar or salt, including in-store promotions like temporary price reductions and buy one get one free.

We are also proposing to restrict where food and drinks - that are high in fat, sugar or salt - can be displayed in shops. Places such as store entrances, end of aisles and checkouts are included, as they are known as the places stores use to encourage impulse buys and unplanned purchases.

WHAT IMPACT COULD THE NEW RULES HAVE ON THE WAY WE SHOP?

We know that some people may be concerned about changes to promotions at a time when the cost of living is rising.

We want to think carefully about how we can prevent any impact, but we also know that big actions are needed if we are to change our diet and improve our health. In fact, the evidence shows that retail promotions normally cause people to spend more money on their weekly shop.

We want retailers to consider placing promotions on healthier products, and for the food industry to consider reformulation to bring down the fat, sugar or salt content of some of their foods. In this way, shopping baskets could be healthier without increasing the cost of a weekly shop. We want to make the healthy choice, the easy choice.

WHY SHOULD ENERGY DRINKS BE BANNED FOR CHILDREN?

Some energy drinks have been found to have up to 21 teaspoons of sugar in them, and some contain the same amount of caffeine as three cups of coffee - clearly not a good choice for children to drink.

Children who drink energy drinks regularly are more likely to report problems with their health, behaviour and sleep, and there is also evidence that energy drinks are linked to poor performance at school.

These drinks already have to display warnings that they are not recommended for children, but research shows that many children are still drinking them.

I’m pleased that some shops have recognised the issue and have already stopped selling energy drinks to children, but until there is a nationwide ban, we are not protecting children from the harm these products can cause.

HOW CAN THE PROPOSALS SUPPORT HEALTHIER EATING OUTSIDE OF OUR HOMES?

Eating out and buying takeaways has become an increasingly common part of our everyday lives, but it can be difficult to know how many calories are in some food and drink, and to appreciate how larger portion sizes can affect our health.

New rules would make sure places like restaurants and takeaways clearly list the number of calories in the things they sell. This would mean people in Wales will be able to make more informed choices about what they and their families eat.

Another positive change would be to limit free refills of sugary soft drinks as well as the size of sugary drinks sold.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP MAKE LOCAL FOOD ENVIRONMENTS A HEALTHIER PLACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?

Many of our children and young people pass by takeaways on their way to or from school or college, which encourage young people to make choices that are not always good for their health.

Because of this, we are considering how to support local planning decisions when it comes to improving our food environment, especially with things like restricting how many new hot food takeaways can be built close to high schools and colleges.

Choice is important, but we need to make sure there is a balance out there for our young people to enjoy and to help them choose the foods that can keep them healthy.

For more information on both consultations, visit gov.wales/healthy-food-environment or gov.wales/proposal-end-saleenergy-drinks-children-under-16

*www.gov.wales/healthy-weightstrategy-healthy-weight-healthy-wales