LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will ban ‘buy one, get one free’ promotions from April 2022 on foods high in fat, sugar or salt and free refills of sugary soft drinks in restaurants, government said Monday, the latest move in its plan to tackle obesity and improve public health.
The government says obesity is one of the biggest chronic public health problems in Britain, with nearly two-thirds of adults in England being overweight and one in three children leaving primary school overweight or obese.
The measures will also limit where such products can be advertised in a store, and unhealthy promotions will not be allowed at checkouts, store entrances, or at the end of aisles.
“We are limiting promotions and introducing a series of measures to ensure that the healthy choice is the easy choice. Creating an environment that helps everyone eat healthier food more regularly is crucial to improving the health of the country, ”said Health Minister Jo Churchill.
Britain first proposed restricting ‘buy one get one free’ deals on junk food in July, and also announced measures such as banning TV and online ads for junk food before 9pm.
Last month, the government went ahead and proposed a total ban on online advertising for unhealthy foods.
Being overweight has been found to increase the risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 – a fact highlighted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has publicly spoken of his own need to lose weight since being hospitalized with the disease.
Reporting by Alistair Smout, published by Louise Heavens