UK bans ‘Buy one get one free’ deals on food to tackle obesity

UK government has taken a step to deal with obesity in England. It has banned “Buy one get one free” deals on unhealthy food in the city. 

UK government has created a plan according to which restrictions will be decided whether food high in fat and sugar can be promoted in-store. New rules regarding displaying calories on menus will also be made.

The UK has banned junk food adverts before 21:00 for the whole country.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the new plans will help “reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus”.

The government will consult whether to stop fast food ads online together. 

Sue Eustace, director of public affairs at the Advertising Association, said that the “extreme” and “unnecessary” measures would create a little impact in decreasing obesity. She warned that they could have “wide-ranging ramifications” for food businesses and online publishers working to financially recover from the pandemic.

She told BBC, “We have some of the strictest [advertising] rules in the world already and children’s exposure to a high fat, salt, and sugar adverts on TV has fallen by 70% over the last 15 years or so, but there’s been no change to obesity, so we don’t think these measures are going to work.”

The Prime Minister is likely to reveal strategy later due to increasing evidence of a link between coronavirus risk and obesity. 

According to the international news agency, government statistics showed around 8% of seriously ill patients in intensive care units with the virus have been morbidly obese, compared with 2.9% of the general population.

Mr. Johnson had earlier criticized levies on food high in fat, salt and sugar. He had explained his views on dealing with obesity as “libertarian”. However, his experience’s in intensive care during his coronavirus treatment have led to change in his position.