Food and hospitality industry reps questioned by MPs on England’s weight management problem
The Health and Social Care Committee will question representatives of the hospitality and food and drink manufacturing industries for its inquiry into government policies to reduce obesity and promote healthy diets.
Meeting details
The cross-party Committee has been investigating what public health interventions have been most effective at reducing obesity and the consumption of less healthy foods, and why some policies have seemingly failed to reduce obesity rates.
The most recent data, from 2022, shows that 64% of adults in England were either overweight or living with obesity. In its 10-year plan for the NHS, the Government pledged to “launch a moonshot to end the obesity epidemic”.
The witnesses from UKHospitality and the Food and Drink Federation are likely to be asked how manufacturers should support customers to have healthier diets, and about the extension of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to include canned coffees and milkshakes.
UKHospitality may be asked for the sector’s point of view regarding the labelling of calorie content on restaurant menus, and a possible review of the policy five years from its introduction.
Both witnesses may be asked to respond to proposals heard in earlier sessions of this inquiry, such as mandatory front-of-pack warnings regarding calorie, sugar or salt content.
The Committee may also be interested to hear about the ways in which the industry engages with government over regulatory proposals.