Government's own health campaign endorses junk food !

A healthy eating campaign funded by the taxpayer has come under fire for giving free advertising to junk food firms.

Shoppers are being offered money off fizzy drinks, tinned vegetables and ready meals with vouchers sent to more than 100,000 people who want to improve their diet.

Now the government has been accused of ‘endorsing’ companies like Pepsi and Uncle Ben’s while 'doing nothing' to tackle the nation’s obesity crisis.

The Smart Swaps campaign was launched by Change4Life, run by Public Health England, last month.

It encourages people to switch from unhealthy food and drink to low fat, low sugar alternatives.

People who sign up are sent money off vouchers, fridge magnets and a ‘Smart Swapper’ wheel containing advice on how to eat more healthily.

The packs also include 30p off a tub of Flora light, £1 off Cheeky Cow cheese and 30p off Green Giant tinned sweetcorn.

There is also a 30p discount on a £1.99 Uncle Ben’s RiceTime, an instant pot snack from the company owned by Mars.

The companies paid nothing to be included in the promotions and just had to offer some form of discount to encourage people to reduce the amount of fat, sugar and calories in their diets.  

The government-backed support for some of the world’s biggest food firms has been condemned by MPs and food experts.

Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, said: ‘I regard it as being straightforward advertising which has been foisted on the Department of Health by an industry which wishes to put itself in a good light and has convinced DoH it is a brilliant idea.

More on the 'ya couldn't make it up story' here.

Eddie