The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has responded to DHSC's announcement that they will delay implementing new laws designed to limit junk food marketing tactics.
Professor Rachel Batterham, RCP special adviser on obesity, said:
“This is incredibly disappointing and short sighted, especially in light of the recent World Health Organization report showing that only in the United States is the level of obesity higher than in Europe. These aggressive marketing practices only benefit manufacturers and have led to 1 in 5 children leaving primary school with obesity.
“Coupled with the removal of funding for weight management clinics, these delays to the government’s own legislation are a significant threat to the future health and prosperity of the nation. As Sajid Javid said at the RCP recently, countries that take action to avoid crises spend less in the long run, and obesity currently costs the NHS alone £6bn per year.
“Many have cited the cost of living crisis as a reason to keep buy-one-get-one-free deals, but research is clear they do not save us money - they simply encourage us to spend more of it. And delaying the 9pm watershed for advertising unhealthy foods will leave our children vulnerable to developing long-term unhealthy eating habits.”
