Over 60% of people in Wales are obese or overweight and the Welsh Government has revealed steps it hopes to take to reduce that number. By the end of 2025, we could see restrictions on the way that supermarkets sell certain junk foods.
The foods in question are high fat, high sugar, and mostly ultra-processed. Think your crisps, chocolate, sweets, but also ready meals, breaded and battered foods and drinks full of sugar.
We have already seen a lot of changes in supermarkets when it comes to junk food in recent years. In 2018 a sugar tax was brought in which made a lot of soft drinks more expensive.
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On Monday, after a year long consultation, the Welsh Government finally announced the restrictions it plans to bring into place. You can see the full list of foods that will be impacted by the restrictions here. There are three areas that restrictions will be brought into place.
1. No junk food in prime locations
Restrictions on retailers putting food and drink which is high in fat, sugar and salt in shop entrances, at the end of aisles, checkouts or their online equivalents, such as the shopping basket or payment pages. Most supermarkets use the end of the aisles to feature promotions running on products, under this restriction, supermarkets won’t be able to put food like chocolate and crisps in this position. Some supermarkets already don’t feature high-sugar snacks at checkouts, but this restriction would see a total ban.
2. No multibuy offers
With a ban on multibuy offers, we can expect to see the loss of buy one get one free, for example, on food and drink which is high in fat, sugar and salt so there is no financial incentive for people buying more.
3. No refills on sugary drinks
This would impact restaurants and eateries where customers can refill their soft drinks as often as they like.
What do you think of the plans? Let us know in the comments below.
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