A long battle looms over food & drink health plans

Just like poor Harry and Meghan, the honeymoon between PHE and the food and drink industry may have to be put on hold.

The government’s health experts certainly gave the industry a break this week, taking a “glass half full” attitude to its failure to hit the first year of sugar reduction targets. Despite the 300-page dossier of doom, things could have been a lot worse and companies have clearly been given another 12 months to get reformulation on track.

Meanwhile, however, PHE is pushing Theresa May to use the big stick, with a Childhood Obesity Plan Mark 2 due in a few weeks set to revive plans for a clampdown on supermarket promotions, dumped when the original version was watered down in 2016.

With industry leaders now lining up to fight the new promotions ban in the courts, this could be the start of a long, drawn-out battle. And it’s made even more complicated because it’s not just one government but two in the “arms race” to see who can be the most draconian - and who can snuggle up the closest to Jamie Oliver.