‘Miserable failure’ of targets to cut sugar in our food

Critics claim new statistics show that ‘Soviet’ approach does not work

OFFICIAL targets to cut the sugar levels in common foods are “failing miserably”, with puddings getting sweeter and no change at all in chocolates or biscuits, health service figures show.

Ministers pledged to slash sugar levels in a vast range of products by 20 per cent by 2020 under the 2016 childhood obesity strategy.

But the first official assessment of progress shows that sugar levels in almost seven in 10 of the most popular brands are unchanged – or have even increased.

Across the board, sugar content fell by just two per cent against a target of five per cent in the first year, according to figures from Public Health England (PHE).

Overall, sugar levels in puddings rose by one per cent, while levels in biscuits and chocolate confectionery were unchanged. Much of the progress that was made came from the reduction of sugar levels in breakfast cereals and yogurts.

Of the top 20 brands responsible for the most sugar sales, 56 per cent saw no change in their content and 12 per cent had more. Just 33 per cent cut the sugar in their products.

At the Commons health committee, former health minster Ben Bradshaw said that the plans were “failing miserably”.

Christopher Snowdon, of the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank, accused PHE of issuing “Soviet-style targets” with no understanding of how food is made or what consumers want.

He said “unrealistic” plans meant that any successes in cutting sugar content too often saw consumers face “rip-off shrinkflation”, with firms cutting the size of products but not the prices.

The 2016 obesity strategy was criticised by some campaigners for relying too much on voluntary efforts by the industry. Others complained about interference in consumer choice.

Duncan Selbie, PHE chief executive, said the food industry needed to “step up.”

PHE yesterday set out more targets, calling for a 20 per cent reduction in the sugar content of all milkbased drinks and a five per cent cut in sugar levels in all juice-based drinks. Sugar content in fizzy drinks fell by 11 per cent as the industry geared up for the introduction of a sugar tax in April.

Steve Brine, the public health minister, said the UK’S “stringent sugar reformulation targets” led the world.

He said it was encouraging to see some progress, but the Government did not underestimate the scale of the challenge and had not ruled out further action.