Britain unveils healthy-eating plan
UK: The British government unveiled a 250 million pound ($390
million) industry-financed plan to promote good eating on Sunday under
which millions of people will receive vouchers offering discounts on
healthy foods.
The coalition government is promoting the scheme as part of its
Change4Life programme, aimed at combating Britain's high obesity rate by
encouraging people to eat healthier food and exercise more.
But some experts have accused food manufacturers of using it to
enhance their image.
Millions in England will get 50 pounds' worth of vouchers offering
discounts on foods such as low-fat yogurts, wholegrain rice, frozen
vegetables, fruit and alcohol-free lager.
The News of the World weekly, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp,
will distribute three million books of vouchers; Asda, the British arm
of U.S. retailer Wal-Mart, will hand out a million; and community groups
a further million.
The vouchers offer discounts on products from food companies
including Kellogg, Unilever, Nestle, Mars, baker Warburtons and frozen
food brand Bird's Eye as well as some Asda own-brand goods and trainers
from sportswear retailer JJB Sports.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said the scheme was a "great example
of how government, the media, industry and retailers can work together
to help families to be healthy".
But Tim Lang, professor of food policy at London's City University,
questioned the food companies' motives.
"Is it a public health strategy? No, it is a corporate brand
protection strategy," he told the BBC.
Tam Fry, a board member of the National Obesity Forum, set up by
doctors to highlight the health consequences of obesity, called the
programme a step in the right direction but said it was too short-term
to change people's mindset about food.
The Change4Life campaign was originally launched in 2009 by the
previous Labour government, which said that if the plan failed to reduce
obesity within three years it might look at regulating the food
industry.
The eight-month-old Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has
pledged to stop lecturing people and instead nudge them towards a
healthier lifestyle.
London, Monday, Reuters |