Scottish food industry concerned about proposed junk food ad ban

From: FoodBev Media

A proposed ban on the promotion of unhealthy food and drinks in Scotland has been slammed by food and drink manufacturers due to a “lack of evidence of its effectiveness”.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland has submitted its response to the Scottish government’s Diet and Obesity Strategy consultation, which ended yesterday.

Scotland public health minister Aileen Campbell launched the consultation, which aims to help people lose weight, last year. The proposed measures include a restriction on the promotion and advertising of food and drink high in fat, sugar and salt.

The Scottish government is exploring the possibility of banning broadcast advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar before 9pm. It wants to invest £40 million to deliver almost 100,000 supported weight management interventions for people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes.

Launching the initiative, Ms Campbell said that to fight obesity, the government “needs commitment and action from everyone across all sectors and at all levels including government, citizens, the public sector and businesses right across the country”.

However, the FDF said it opposes restrictions on the use of promotions as they could “unfairly disadvantage different types of food and drink companies and their products”.

FDF Scotland CEO David Thompson said: “Our members take their role in tacking obesity very seriously. A balanced evidence-based approach covering diet, education and lifestyle is needed to make a real difference.”

He added: “We oppose restrictions on the use of promotions. Regulation of promotions could unfairly disadvantage different types of food and drink companies and their products. There is real concern amongst our members regarding these proposals.

“The measures have been created without compelling evidence of their effectiveness. They will affect Scottish businesses disproportionally. Iconic Scottish brands – whose main market is in Scotland – stand to suffer more than their international competitors, with some reporting that up to 60% of their sales would be affected by this legislation.

“FDF Scotland calls for the Scottish government to test their proposals for effectiveness before moving to national implementation. Restricting promotions would also hit the poorest shoppers hardest and could limit choice for consumers.

“The food and drink manufacturing industry is a key part of Scotland’s economy – contributing £3.8 billion gross value added and providing 45,000 jobs. The Scottish government must ensure that any measures proposed in this draft strategy do not damage the growth of our vital sector.

The FDF also claimed that altering labelling requirements for products sold within Scotland in relation to those for England, Wales and Northern Ireland would add “unnecessary complication and costs” to the packaging and distribution of products.

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