Cost-of-living fears just an ‘excuse’ to delay tackling obesity – Jamie Oliver

JAMIE OLIVER has accused the UK Government of using families’ suffering amid the cost-of-living crisis as an “excuse” to delay tackling obesity.

The British chef presented an Eton Mess dessert to a crowd of around 200 supporters in the pouring rain outside Downing Street, which he said was “symbolic of the mess” ministers have created by postponing England’s National Obesity Strategy by one year.

The strategy aims to reduce consumption of food high in fat, sugar and salt (known as HFSS) by banning two-for-one junk food deals and television ads for it before 9pm.

Ministers said last week that it had been deferred so they can review the impact on families amid the cost-ofliving crisis.

Holding a glass dish of the strawberry meringue aloft, Mr Oliver told cheering protesters that was an excuse.

The 46-year-old chef and father of five said: “To use cost of living as an excuse is wrong, it’s completely unfair. The Eton Mess is symbolic of the mess that we’ve got ourselves into. It’s very much like the U-turn on the childhood obesity strategy that Boris Johnson’s own government designed and passed. So he’s doing a U-turn on his own laws at a time when child health has never been more compromised since records began. It is absolutely urgent and the excuses that he’s used for not doing it are absolutely not true.”

When asked whether his campaign to ban cheap deals on junk food is out of touch at a time when families are increasingly struggling to put food on

the table, Mr Oliver said: “This whole strategy, designed by the government and has been researched by the government, proves that this particular mechanic (two-for-one deals on junk food) makes people spend more of their income and waste more.

“And actually if you look at what Tesco said today, they are going to continue on discounts (but on) healthier and sustainable (food).

“They’ve set the tone and I’m sure others will follow.

“We want to put child health first, the strategy was looking world class and now it doesn’t.

“It’s our job to put it all back together again and make sure that we can build a better future for our kids.”

Tesco and Sainsbury’s have pledged to go ahead with a voluntary ban on two-for-one deals on junk food from October as outlined in the government’s original plan.

Mr Oliver’s campaign has also received support from fellow celebrity chefs Gennaro Contaldo, who was at the protest, and Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall.

Italian chef Mr Contaldo, known for being Mr Oliver’s mentor, said: “I’m here to support Jamie because Boris Johnson has done a terrible

U-turn that is not right. So with Jamie maybe we can put everything back.”

Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall urged Mr Johnson to “put the health of our children and our nation first” in a tweet ahead of the protest.

Apprentice chef Jack Suddaby, 27, who was dressed as a giant strawberry at the demonstration, said he was “upset” by the U-turn because he was worried about children’s health.