‘Shrink pizzas to slash calories’

HEALTH chiefs have warned that highcalorie foods – from pizzas to burgers, packs of crisps and ready meals – will have to shrink in an attack on obesity.

Government public health watchdogs are drawing up targets to cut the calorie content of 75 per cent of food on sale in the high street.

They will press for an overall reduction of more than 10 per cent, to be achieved by taking out high-calorie ingredients and shrinking products. The experts had previously set targets to cut sugar levels by 20 per cent on average in a vast range of products, such as chocolate bars and children’s yoghurts.

As a result, famous brands have changed the ingredients or cut the size of chocolate bars or the weight of packs of sweets. Now, the watchdogs are turning to the likes of pizzas, ready meals, fast food and shop-bought sandwiches.

Nutritionist Dr Alison Tedstone told The Grocer the proposals would test how far the public would go to prioritise a healthy diet.