Enable 'more discounts' on fruits and vegetables, experts tell ministers

Ministers are being urged to bring-in policies that will enable more discounts on healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables as a recently-released report has warned that people struggling to battle obesity are being “thwarted” by Britain’s unhealthy food culture.

As per a 28-page report from the Centre for Food Policy at City, University of London, carried out for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) obesity policy research unit, the government’s plans to introduce a 9pm watershed on TV and a ban on paid-for advertising online for unhealthy food and drink, plus new restrictions on the promotion of unhealthy food and drink in retail outlets may fail unless much wider action is taken.

The report claims, by the Centre for Food Policy at London’s City University, that availability of unhealthy food 24 hours a day across the country makes losing weight “difficult” for millions of people who are trying.

“People engaging in weight management reported eating more, simply because food was always easily available and this close and constant exposure triggered them to want food more often,” The Guardian quoted the report’s findings.

“People also reported that being met everywhere with promotions made it very difficult not to think about food or make unplanned purchases of HFSS [high in fat, salt or sugar] food.”

Kimberley Neve, the lead author of the study, said, “even people trying really hard are thwarted in their efforts by unhealthy food options that are everywhere - they’re easy to find, cheap to buy, quick and appealing.”

Weight loss for those on low incomes was especially difficult, with unhealthy food promoted more through special offers in shops and supermarkets, noted the report.

Ministers are being urged to accept seven policy recommendations to shift the balance in the UK food environment, including more discounts on healthier foods such as fruit and vegetables. Businesses should also be helped “to provide healthier options in the workplace” for employees, and fast food outlets should be incentivised to sell healthy options, the review urges.