The government has published plans for a huge shake-up of how junk food is defined, after brushing aside industry calls for a delay because of the impact of the war in Iran.
A consultation on the new nutrient profiling model was launched by the Department of Health & Social Care this afternoon.
The consultation will run until June. The government said it would be used to underpin both the junk food advertising ban that came into force on television and online in January, as well as the promotions restrictions that came into force in 2022.
The Grocer revealed earlier this month that that industry leaders had held talks with government ministers to express fears over the shift to the new model, which was first published in 2018 but shelved by the last government because of the huge economic hit it is expected to give to many food companies.
The FDF had warned that companies that had spent tens of millions on reformulation would effectively be banned from advertising and promoting their products because of the new model. It uses a new definition that replaces total sugars with free sugars, and lowers thresholds for sugar and energy density.
However, speaking today, health minister Sharon Hodgson said: “With more than one in three children aged 10 to 11 overweight or obese, we need to support parents to make the right choices for their children. That means full transparency on what’s in the food marketed at their kids, and supporting the food industry to promote healthy choices over junk food.
“This consultation is about strengthening protections for children, cutting hidden sugars, and making sure the rules are based on the best and latest evidence.
“It’s not about telling people what to eat – it’s about stopping families from being misled. We’re determined to reduce the child obesity epidemic and help parents raise the healthiest generation of children ever.”
She added the previous NPM was now more than 20 years old and did not reflect modern dietary advice. Ministers claimed that applying the new NPM to junk food advertising and volume price restrictions could lead to 110,000 fewer cases of childhood obesity and up to 520,000 fewer cases of adult obesity in the long term.
Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: “Free sugar in children’s diets is mainly sugar which is added to foods or where processing has released it.
“Free sugars are associated with increased levels of childhood obesity and other health harms, putting children’s health at risk for the rest of their lives.
“Applying the updated nutrient profiling model to advertising and promotions will reduce marketing of unhealthy products at children, helping to reduce excess free sugar consumption benefiting current children’s health now and in the future.”
Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, added: “Current regulations do not fully protect children from exposure to unhealthy food and drink marketing, whether on TV, online or at the checkout, which is why updating how foods are classified is a necessary and sensible next step.
“Some products can look healthier on paper than they are in reality. A stronger model ensures advertising rules actually reduce children’s exposure to less healthy options.
“If we are serious about improving children’s health, making the food on sale genuinely healthier is the first step to real change.”
Fran Bernhardt, commercial determinants co-ordinator at Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, said: “The nutrient profiling model has been crucial for progress on children’s health. By allowing us to differentiate between healthier and less healthy foods and drinks, it’s been the cornerstone of several successful policies. One of its key strengths is its simplicity – it’s easy for businesses and policymakers to use and understand, and that must be preserved as the model is updated.
“Opening this consultation is a welcome step, as unanswered questions remain around how to implement these changes. We urge the government to work closely with experts to ensure the necessary data and guidance are in place, so the updated NPM can continue – and strengthen – its role in safeguarding children’s health.”
No comments yet