‘Place fruit and veg more prominently’, MPs urge

Prominent placement of fruit and veg in retailers and preventing junk food companies from taking part in food policy discussions are among the recommendations in a wide-ranging new government report.

The Health and Social Care Committee has called on MPs to take calls a new, bold approach to tackle England’s obesity epidemic, which it said is costing the country tens of billions a year.

The government must prioritise preventing obesity in future generations over the interests of the food and drink industry, the inquiry said, issuing a range of recommendations that covered the retail environment to advertising regulations.

Among its recommendations, the committee has included:

Introduce mandatory reporting and targets for supermarkets, backed up with penalties, on the amount of healthy food they sell

Within the retail environment, include a requirement to place fruits and vegetables in prominent instore locations like checkouts and store entrances

Publish new planning policies to stop fast food outlets opening close to schools.

Exclude food businesses with a certain proportion of sales from less healthy products from any discussions on food policy, diet and obesity prevention, as industry lobbying against restrictions has meant that attempts to tackle obesity through food policy have continually failed 

“The central message of this report is that we need to tackle England’s escalating obesity crisis through prevention,” said committee chair, MP Layla Moran. 

“We ask this government to be bold, not to fudge and delay food restrictions. While we acknowledge the costs of policy changes to the food industry, these are marginal compared to the huge costs of inaction on obesity to society, the economy and the health service,” she said.

The news comes as the Food Foundation and Food, Farming and Countryside Commission has published new research suggesting Brits want stronger government action on food.