Should the rest of the UK follow Wales’ lead and restrict unhealthy meal deals?
Polls
5th July 2023
MEAL deals and special offers on foods with a high fat, sugar or salt content will be restricted in Wales, in order to reduce rates of obesity and diabetes.
The new rules will also mean unhealthy foods can’t be displayed in certain areas of supermarkets, such as at the ends of aisles, where they are easier to see.
Products that are high in fat, sugar or salt are usually more heavily promoted than healthier foods like fruit and vegetables. These unhealthy goods are often placed in very visible places in stores. This encourages people to make impulse purchases (buying something you didn’t plan to buy).
Many supermarkets offer meal deals that combine a sandwich, drink and a snack for a set price. Restrictions will be placed on combinations of food that have fat, sugar or salt content above the recommended daily amount. Price drops and multi-buy offers on unhealthy foods will be banned.
More than 60% of adults in Wales are above a healthy weight, and over a quarter of children are overweight or obese by the time they start school.
Being very overweight or obese puts people at a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is a serious health condition.
The new law will be introduced in 2024 and will be rolled out across all of Wales by 2025.
6 Comments
coolcats · 1 year ago
Yes because this is the responsible decision. The government is sort of taking advantage over the unhealthy meals since they are cheaper therefore attract the poorer which then causes obesity etc.
bonniebill · 1 year ago
I think that if someone got a meal deal everyday and included in it is a massive packet of crisps and a chocolate bar, that wouldn't be healthy to have every day. However, if someone had a meal deal as a 1 off or mabye once a week it would be fine to have a few unhealthy things with it.
dolphin26 · 1 year ago
Yes, because people may die from obesity or diabetes, and if the products that are bad for you buy are made more expensive, then people will stop buying them and get healthier.
potterwolf · 1 year ago
No because if you only have an unhealthy meal every now and then it’s not bad for you. If you are healthy all the time then it would be bad for you.
aces10 · 1 year ago
Many people who don’t have much money rely on meal deals to buy food. However, when most meal deals are on unhealthy foods, it means these people don’t have access to a healthy diet, so it should be the government’s job to stop this and combat obesity. It would be so much better if meal deals were on healthy, nutritious food instead.
eleran · 1 year ago
Yes but they would have to make sure there's still meal deals as there really cheap and help some people have a meal in teh day