Supermarkets should be hit with more taxes on top of the soft drinks levy and forced to more actively promote healthy food, according to Food Standards Scotland.
The body has welcomed a report from academics at the University of Stirling, which claims voluntary initiatives by retailers’ health promotions have “failed”, and ministers should resort to regulation.
The report accuses retailers of ‘bombarding’ shoppers with presentations, prices and promotions that favour unhealthy products.
It calls for regulation of product pack displays, pricing and promotions, to make it simpler for consumers to make healthier choices.
The report also recommends introducing levies on salt, fat and sugar - similar to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy - to encourage reformulation and resizing of food products.
It says the measures should be required by all food consumption and purchasing outlets - not just by food retailers. It also recommends the introduction of a ‘Food Retail Standard’ - similar to the Healthcare Retail Standard - to regulate product promotions.
The draconian moves come five years after retail and supplier bosses dramatically walked out of talks with the Scottish government over plans for a radical clampdown on in-store display and marketing of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
The BRC, FDF, Advertising Association and the British Soft Drinks Association branded the plans “prescriptive and unworkable” and said they should be resisted to prevent a dangerous precedent of government control being set on consumer choice and competition.
The British Standards Institution had been asked by the Scottish government to “fast-track” a voluntary code, via a Publicly Available Specification, as part of wider moves to tackle obesity.
But the industry bodies claimed this would harm suppliers, impose too much red tape on stores and could force up food prices.
It’s not just in Scotland that there have been calls for a crackdown on promotions.
In 2015, Public Health England made, as its number-one recommendation in tackling the war on sugar, measures to reduce and rebalance the number and type of price promotions in all retail outlets.
Plans were originally thought to have been included in David Cameron’s obesity strategy, but were dumped by Theresa May.
The new report, which makes reference to the calls by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver for Scotland to lead the war on sugar, was co-authored by Stirling University’s Leigh Sparks, professor of retail studies, and Steve Burt, professor of retail marketing.
Professor Sparks said: “The environment confronting consumers is not a neutral one, allowing ‘free choice’. Promotions and product information, especially, shape consumers’ choices and behaviours. Retailing is both part of the problem, but could be a major part of the solution.
“Voluntary initiatives and ‘simple’ healthy promotion have failed: the time to consider a range of actions to alter the architecture of in-store choice may now be upon us.”
Professor Sparks added: “Consumers are attracted to, and purchase, these products above others, often on promotion, and often in bulk sizes far beyond immediate consumption needs.
“There is a need to understand and adjust the retail environment presented to customers in-store, as this drives choice decisions.
“This is often enshrined as the rights of individual freedom - that people should be free to choose, even when the choices are damaging.
“The Scottish diet has become a short-hand for unhealthy living. All the evidence points to its stubborn lack of change, despite information, exhortation, campaigns and even small measures of legislation.
“Scots remain addicted to a diet high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, to the detriment of individuals and communities.”
Dr Gillian Purdon, FSS senior dietary advisor, added: “Food Standards Scotland welcomes this report as it reinforces our view that urgent action needs to be taken to encourage and influence healthier food and drink purchases in Scotland.
“We recognise the good progress made by some retailers, however a level playing field is needed to allow both retailers and out of home businesses to redress the imbalance of promotions and provision of less healthy foods.”
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