UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Supermarket bosses slammed Labour’s calorie-cutting plan as rushed, costly, and ineffective, warning it adds red tape without tackling obesity properly.
As reported by The Telegraph, retail and food industry heads criticised government proposals to mandate calorie tracking in stores, dismissing them as “nanny state” measures.
Which supermarket chiefs are opposing Labour’s food policy?
Stuart Machin of M&S, Allan Leighton of Asda, and other senior food executives have spoken out against the Government’s approach to tackling obesity.
Supermarket and food executives said the government failed to consult stakeholders before advancing the obesity measures. They warned that regulatory gaps may render the obesity strategy ineffective.
What did supermarket chiefs say about Labour’s obesity plan?
Leaders from major firms argued the proposed regulations would not tackle the root causes of obesity.
M&S’s Mr Machin said the plans
“will likely add cost with no discernible improvement in public health.”
He stated that M&S has consistently promoted healthy options through its Eat Well range, adding they would
“love to share our learnings with the government and support a joint industry effort.”
Mr Machin said,
“The easy opt-out is to target supermarkets, when almost half of the public use takeaways and fast-food delivery platforms at least once a week. And it is just plain wrong that they are ignoring alcohol, when a pint of beer contains as many calories as a chocolate bar and a glass of wine as many as a bag of crisps,”
adding,
“We were supposed to have a detailed food strategy that looked at the food system end-to-end – instead it appears we’ve got rushed engagement on a Friday afternoon to support headlines in the Sunday papers.”
Mr Leighton, Asda’s executive chairman, called on ministers to
“consider the cumulative regulatory burden and costs supermarkets are already bearing to deliver other aspects of the Government’s policy agenda.”
He added,
“Engaging us collectively and genuinely to meet the challenge of rising obesity would harness that expertise to deliver tangible and lasting outcomes for consumers. We are supportive of prevention and our role in delivering it. We – the supermarkets – are part of the solution, not the problem.”
Ranjit Boparan, head of 2 Sisters Food Group and known as the “Chicken King,” criticised the plan as more red tape that would raise costs for struggling consumers.
He said the health policy rollout was unexpected, stating it “came out of the blue” and criticised Labour’s handling of such matters.
The head of pork producer Cranswick, Adam Couch, said increasing regulations risk deterring firms from making vital investments.
He added,
“There’s so much money wishing to be unlocked there for investment and creating well-paid jobs. Don’t just throw regulation out there.”
Wes Streeting’s views on obesity and the NHS
Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned that rising obesity care expenses risk the long-term sustainability of the NHS.
He said,
“Obesity has doubled since the 1990s and costs our NHS £11 billion a year – triple the budget for ambulance services. Unless we curb the rising tide of cost and demand, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable.”
The health secretary added,
“Through our new healthy food standard, we will make the healthy choice the easy choice, because prevention is better than a cure. By shifting from sickness to prevention, we will make sure the NHS can be there for us when we need it.”
What did Andrew Griffith say about Labour’s food policy?
Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said,
“Labour want the nanny state sitting in every supermarket trolley.”
He added,
“You’d have thought they’d be too busy with their policy U-turns or trying to fix the economy that Reeves broke with her tax rises – but no – it sounds like the miserable socialists have their sights on every small treat in our weekly shop.”
Labour’s obesity plan
- Mandatory calorie cuts (~100 kcal) per shopping basket
- Retailers are free to choose methods (e.g. reformulation, discounts)
- Sales data disclosure required; fines possible for non-compliance
- The NHS focus on shifting from treatment to prevention
- Rules apply evenly across all major retailers
- No new taxes or promo bans to avoid price hikes
- Pharmacies to support with weight-loss drugs and nutrition advice