The UK government has planned to ban unhealthy promotions on food and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar from April 2022 as a part of a wider anti-obesity drive.
The new rules, confirmed on Monday, will prohibit retailers from offering multi buy promotions like ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’ Food Promos” or “3 for 2″ offers on these products.
Unhealthy promotions also will not be featured in key locations, like at checkouts, store entrances, aisle ends and their online equivalents.
UK Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said, “We know families want to be presented with healthier choices. This is why we are restricting promotions and introducing a variety of measures to form the healthy choice is that the easy choice.”
“Creating an environment which helps everyone eat healthier foods more regularly is crucial to improving the health of the state,” she said.
I’m delighted that we’re taking steps to restrict the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar and salt in favour of healthier options
This is a great step forward in helping improve people’s diets & reducing children’s sugar intakes.👇https://t.co/3FSLlO7RRO
— Jo Churchill MP (@Jochurchill4) December 28, 2020
‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’ Food Promos
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that promotions often appear to help shoppers to save money.
However, the data shows that these deals actually increase purchases of promoted products by about 20%. They encourage people to shop for less they have or intended to shop for in the first place. Free refills of sugary soft drinks also will be prohibited within the eating-out sector.
The DHSC said, in the New Year , Public Health England’s Better Health Campaign also will run new adverts on TV and online to inspire and support people to take care of a healthy weight.
It warns that obesity is one among the most important health crises the country faces; almost two thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity and one in three children leave grade school overweight or obese
Obesity-related illnesses cost the National Health Service (NHS) 6 billion pounds a year.
The government says its planned changes will make supermarkets and other retailers place healthy choices for everybody and support people to lead healthier lives.
The location of products within stores can cause “pester power” from children and may also significantly affect people’s purchases.
For example, end-of-aisle displays are shown to extend beverage sales by over 50%.
The latest announcement forms a key as a part of the United Kingdom government’s strategy to tackle obesity and “get the state fit and healthy”.
The Covid-19 pandemic has delivered to the fore the impact that obesity can wear people’s health and health outcomes.
These measures will support people in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and overall will improve the nation’s health, the DHSC added