Health Minister rejects ‘nanny state’ calls to ban characters

Campaign group Action on Sugar discovered some merchandise made to enchantment to youngsters contained as much as 4 teaspoons of sugar per serving.

It known as for a ban on use of cartoons, vibrant colors and acquainted characters on merchandise with excessive or medium ranges of sugar, salt and saturated fats.

Kellogg’s Frosties – which makes use of the smiling picture of Tony the Tiger – was among the many worst offenders, with 11g sugar per 30g serving.

Malt-O-Meal Marshmallow Mateys – containing vibrant shapes and bought in a vivid crimson field – topped the chart at 17g per 42g serving.

But well being minister Will Quince mentioned it was as much as dad and mom to show their youngsters concerning the significance of a nutritious diet.

He advised Times Radio: “I’m not in favour of those kinds of nanny state interventions because as a parent, it’s my responsibility to educate my child as to what is and isn’t appropriate for daily consumption and as a treat.”

“I like Krave cereal as much as the next person… it’s very nice, but would I have it every day? No, because I know the implications of that. I want to educate my children about that.”

“So what it means is we need to empower people to make healthier life choices.”

Mr Quince mentioned plain packaging was “certainly a step too far” as they have been pleasing when had sparsely, and ought to be had “every now and then as a treat”.

Action on Sugar is predicated at Queen Mary University of London and frequently conducts product analysis.

Its investigation discovered that 65% of 73 yoghurts and 47% of 133 cereals surveyed contained a minimum of one third of the advisable most sugar consumption for a kid aged between 4 to 6 years (19g or 5 sugar cubes).

Breakfast cereals and yoghurts noticed vital reductions in sugar ranges between 2015 and 2020, at 14.9% and 13.5% respectively.

But the Sugar Reduction Programme introduced within the Government’s 2016 weight problems plan set a goal of 20%.

Registered Nutritionist Dr Kawther Hashem, marketing campaign lead at Action on Sugar, mentioned: “It’s ludicrous that whilst breakfast cereals and yogurts celebrate the largest reductions in sugars during the Sugar Reduction Programme, those same products with child-appealing packaging still have excessive amounts of sugars, unsuitable for regular intake by children.”

“Given the soaring numbers of under-18s suffering weight-related health problems and tooth decay being the leading cause of child hospitalisation, now is the time for companies to be forced to remove child-appealing packaging from products that are misleading parents and making our children unhealthy and sick.”