Healthy cynicism: campaigners give up on government food group

The government’s key forum for healthy eating is so ineffective it should be scrapped. That’s the view of the campaigners behind Action on Sugar.

Channel 4 News understands that 41 organisations have withdrawn from the group which was set up with the aim of bringing together food manufacturers and health bodies to bring about reductions in the consumption of unhealthy ingredients in our diets such as sugar, salt and alcohol.

Action on Sugar Science Director Dr Aseem Malhotra says the idea of letting the food industry play a part in health policy is like “putting vampires in charge of the blood bank.”

The scheme was set up to achieve progress on a voluntary basis with the aim of making rapid progress on healthy eating without the need to bring in new laws. Frustrated at the lack of change, organisations like Cancer Research UK and the Faculty of Public Health have now pulled out.

The government defends its scheme, arguing that it has achieved results. Many products now display their key ingredients prominently on the packaging. Some fizzy drink companies have committed to reducing sugar levels in some of their products.

Professor Susan Jebb, who runs the scheme for the government, says it’s not reasonable to expect a voluntary scheme alone to deliver everything campaigners want – consumers have their own part to play.

She told Channel 4 News that a tax on sugar may yet be necessary.