Crisps and fizzy pop face meal deal ban

MEAL DEALS are to be stripped of crisps and fizzy drinks in Scotland under SNP plans to tackle the obesity crisis.

Proposals unveiled yesterday state that the supermarket offers, as well as temporary price reductions on unhealthy food and drink, will fall within the scope of a new junk food crackdown north of the border.

Options in a consultation for “rebalancing meal deals towards healthier options” include banning any food or drink classed as being high in fat, sugar or salt from the promotions in meal deals.

These typically consist of a sandwich, snack and drink for a set price.

Alternatively, customers may be allowed to purchase one unhealthy item, such as a bag of crisps or a sugary drink, but not both.

The plans are a significant departure from rules in England, where only multibuy junk food promotions, such as buy-one-get-one-free deals, face being banned from October next year.

However, their are warnings that if the proposed ban on temporary price reductions on all junk food in Scotland goes ahead, it will cause confusion for cross-border businesses and drive up food bills for struggling families.

Ewan Macdonald-russell, of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said that it appeared Scottish ministers were “determined to put up prices on a range of products despite consumers reeling from a cost of living crisis”.

He added: “These proposals will prevent retailers competing on price on any of the products caught by these rules, meaning shoppers miss out both on the benefits of competition but also from any falls in inflation.

‘Shoppers will miss out on the benefits of competition and any falls in inflation’

“All this will hinder rather than help retailers’ ability to keep down prices for Scotland’s shoppers during a cost of living crisis, the last thing Scotland’s hard-pressed consumers need.”

Businesses had lobbied the SNP Government to fall into line with the UK Government’s plans, which have been repeatedly delayed.

South of the border, there are no plans to restrict meal deals or end temporary price reductions.

Supermarkets said that meal deals should not fall within the scope of the crackdown, as they were not “impulse” purchases of unhealthy items.