Fury as plans for tougher controls on junk food axed

MINISTERS were accused last night of caving in to the junk food lobby after they abandoned plans to force companies to reduce sugar in children’s food. The Childhood Obesity Strategy, published today after a year of delays, will instead ‘challenge’ the food industry to cut sugar levels by 20 per cent before 2020.

The Government insisted its actions will slash the number of children who are overweight within a decade.

But critics said the plan contains nothing that will force companies to act, relying instead on goodwill. One campaign group described it as a ‘shocking abdication’ of the Government’s duties.

The strategy also ditched plans for an expected ban on junk food TV adverts before the 9pm watershed, and there is no ban on so-called ‘guiltaisles’, in which shops put sweets at check-outs.

Campaigners had also expected an end to the use of cartoon characters on unhealthy food, and new restrictions on multi-buy deals in supermarkets.

The new policy will ask food manufacturers, retailers and restaurants to come up with ways to cut sugar from biscuits, cakes, cereals, yoghurts and ice cream. They will be asked to reduce sugar by 5 per cent in the first year, with a final target of 20 per cent by the end of the decade. But the scheme contains no proposals for concrete rules or laws to compel companies to act.

Nearly a third of children in Britain are overweight, which raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The Childhood Obesity Strategy was David Cameron’s attempt to set down firm rules for companies but it was ripped up when Theresa May took office last month.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has hinted at his unease at the changes, telling the health select committee that a strong ‘enforcement mechanism’ and ‘regulatory backstop’ was needed to make companies comply.

But senior Government sources last night insisted the new strategy had stuck with most important measures while removing the more ‘tokenistic and nanny state’ proposals.

Insiders said the key to tackling childhood obesity is reducing the amount of sugar in products – which would be achieved by the fizzy drinks tax and the demand for a 20 per cent reduction in sugar in other products popular with children. But Malcolm Clark, of the Children’s Food Campaign, said: ‘This is a truly shocking abdication of the Government’s duties to secure the health and future of the next generation.’

Public Health Minister Nicola Blackwood said: ‘This Government is absolutely committed to reducing childhood obesity and one of the best ways to do this is to boost sports in schools.’