The UK government has once again postponed the two-for-one ban on junk food until 2025 in England. The key component of the anti-obesity strategy was initially planned for this October but has been deferred by two years while the cost of living crisis continues to bite. UK prime minister Rishi Sunak says that restricting options on cheaper grocery deals would be unfair to the public as food inflation remains high. 

Public health organizations have reacted to the postponed ban with some dismay, particularly as this is not the first time the UK government has held off actions to tackle the epidemic of obesity.

It has previously been accused of bowing to the food industry when postponing the ban on junk food advertisements after 9 PM on TV and online for another three years.

“Scrapping the already delayed multi-buy price promotions policy, which is part of the Government’s evidence-based childhood obesity strategy, would be unforgivable, especially given two-thirds of adults are living with overweight or obesity and putting real pressure on the NHS,” says professor Graham MacGregor, chair of Action on Sugar and Action on Salt based at the Queen Mary University.

“I firmly believe in people’s right to choose. At a time when household budgets are under continuing pressure from the global rise in food prices, it is not fair for the government to restrict the options available to consumers on their weekly shop,” says Sunak.

Limiting unhealthy food
The health secretary, Steve Barclay, says that the government is still devoted to tackling obesity and reducing waiting lists, as the second prevalent cause of cancer, and its current annual costs for the National Health Security (NHS) is £6.5 billion (US$8.3 billion). 

“The government’s data shows these promotions cause people to spend 20% more than they intended, so why would the government not want to address this and make it easier for families to buy healthier food instead?” says MacGregor.

“Otherwise, it will exacerbate the already widening health inequalities by making healthier nutritious food less accessible to those who need it most,” he adds. 

Multi-buy price promotions do not save people money, they encourage people to buy more unhealthy food, says Jenner.The spectrum of malnutrition – obesity, undernutrition, stunting and wasting – is increasing across the UK, the Food Foundation recently reported. The report also showed that lower-income households are more affected, leading to implications for society and the NHS.

Encouraging impulsiveness?
Katharine Jenner, director at the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), adds, “We strongly urge the government to follow the evidence and allow the incoming (and already delayed) multi-buy price promotions restrictions to come into force in October 2023 as planned rather than October 2025.”

“Without a doubt, multi-buy price promotions do not save people money. Instead, they encourage people to buy more unhealthy food impulsively rather than make savings from food already on their shopping list,” says Jenner.

Child obesity in low-income households increased by 7% in the UK during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Weight gain was highest among those already considered severely obese before the onset of the pandemic, with an average weight gain of six kilograms, a study reported.

“If ministers are serious about their ambition to halve childhood obesity by 2030, then this multi-buy price promotions policy, an essential part of the government’s evidence-based childhood obesity strategy, is vital,” adds Jenner. 

She continues to argue that otherwise, excess weight will continue to drive unacceptable inequalities in health outcomes while costing the NHS a staggering £6.5 billion (US$8.3 billion) annually on diet-related ill-health – piling pressure on the NHS and driving down economic productivity.