Hospital trust made £260,000 from snack machines

A HOSPITAL TRUST in Yorkshire has made more than £250,000 from selling chocolate, crisps and sweets from vending machines, it has been revealed.

Following a freedom of information request, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs St James’ Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary, is home to 43 vending machines across five sites.

The trust made £60,000 from the machines last year, with each serving soft drinks, chocolate, crisps or sweets. A total of £260,000 was made from the machines from 2013 to 2018.

The trust says it is working hard to promote healthier snacks, and insists it does not encourage unhealthy eating.

But Coun Stewart Golton, a member of Leeds City Council’s health and wellbeing board, said: “Patients, staff and visitors are a captive audience, and the hospital has a responsibility to make sure that people often already struggling with their weight are not left relying on a vending machine plying high sugar and salt foods to keep them going during long, stressful hours on a hospital corridor.”

The trust, which provided the figures after a request by sister title the

stressed only a fifth of the soft drinks in its machines contain added sugar, and each item of confectionery is limited to 250 calories.

Simon Neville, of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We have taken part in an innovative pilot with Public Health England and our suppliers to make healthier snacks and drinks more prominent in our vending machines.”