Supermarkets get short shrift from Michael Mosley in the second of his two-part documentary Who Made Britain Fat? (Channel 4, 16 March, 9pm).

Tricks of the trade – whether promotions, store layouts or behavioural nudges – leave little hope even the most health-conscious consumers will be able to prevent a big packet of biscuits landing in their baskets, Mosley claimed.

Presenting research from the Questionmark Foundation, he unveiled the thousands of promotions on unhealthy grub across the mults. Except at Sainsbury’s – which has instead shifted them into meal deals. And product placement in stores mean “the odds are stacked against us” Mosley said. The coming HFSS regulations will change that, but retailers and fmcg giants have been “strangely reluctant” about the new rules.

National Food Strategy author Henry Dimbleby told Mosley “there are definitely forces on the march to stop this happening”.

Dirty tactics were implied. “They are doing everything they can to stop these changes happening,” Dimbleby said.

Jamie Oliver got a slightly more diplomatic boot in. “The food industry is the mother of all businesses,” he said. “To think you can make structural change and not get any grief?”

Expanded power aisles – considered by many as a nifty workaround – also came in for stiff criticism.

While a chap from IRI explained the new rules would have the “biggest impact since rationing” on food retail, there was precious little sympathy for the sector.

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