• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • FAQ
  • Meet the Team
  • About The London Economic
  • Advertise
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
NEWSLETTER
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Government’s obesity strategy plays second fiddle as Brits embrace ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ bargains

“On one hand we are hearing that tackling obesity is an urgent public health challenge, but on the other we are seeing actions that we know do not help us reduce obesity", one campaigner said.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
August 3, 2020
in News

The government’s refusal to remove fast food and pub chains from the Eat Out to Help Out scheme means its obesity strategy, launched only last week, is already playing second fiddle to a raft of bargain meals.

Brits across the country were able to get 50 per cent off eat-in meals at a range of pubs, restaurants and cafes today – with several high street staples offering half priced meals up to the value of £10.

Burger King, KFC, McDonald’s and Wetherspoons are all participating in the scheme, bringing the price of some of their most popular meals down to record low levels.

A Big Mac meal will now only cost £2.30 despite containing 1,015 calories, while a Whetherspoons full english breakfast has dropped to £2.24.

RelatedPosts

Coventry pub investigated after hundreds of people queue up for midnight opening

Protests as black man shot dead by Minnesota police officer in traffic stop

Harry arrives back in UK for Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral

What you missed while everyone was talking about Prince Philip

Had my plate of large breakfast with 50% at Wetherspoons! What a time to enjoy food, with #SocialDistancing #EatOutToHelpOut stay safe pic.twitter.com/8KzHbIfpFr

— Cyril Lucas (@Cyril_Lucas1) August 3, 2020

For the first two weeks of the month Burger King’s signature Whopper burger will be just £1 rather than the usual £4.49.

Nine nuggets and the Chicken Royale will also be offered at the same price when dining between Monday and Wednesday.

But campaigners say the scheme risks undermining the government’s obesity campaign which kicked off last week.

Prof Amelia Lake, professor in public health nutrition at Teesside University and an associate director of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, told the Guardian:

“Offering subsidies on food which is particularly associated with being less healthy completely contradicts the other message around reducing obesity.

“On one hand we are hearing that tackling obesity is an urgent public health challenge, but on the other we are seeing actions that we know do not help us reduce obesity.

“There needs to be clear messaging and joined up action.”

Just got a McDonalds breakfast for £2. This eat out to help out deal isnt going to be good for my waistline.

— Daz (@dazgale) August 3, 2020

Dr Duane Mellor, a dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston Medical School, also said the scheme appeared to be operating independently of approaches to improve public health.Advertisement

“Instead of choosing to bring the British farming sector closer to the public, after a year where much fresh produce has been wasted, what we seem to have is something that supports half-price meals high in fat and sugar and low in nutrient density,” he said.

“Worse still, through the inclusion of soft drinks, it appears to subsidise drinks whose consumption has been drastically cut through the highly successful sugar tax.”

Losing weight is hard but with some small changes we can all feel fitter and healthier.

If we all do our bit, we can reduce our health risks and protect ourselves against coronavirus – as well as taking pressure off the NHS.

Our Better Health Strategy https://t.co/WdazXhuhRN pic.twitter.com/KZhW8p17FJ

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 27, 2020

Related: Covid-19 decision-making ‘shrouded in secrecy’ – top scientist

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Tags: headline
Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism Support fearless, free, investigative journalism

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending fromTLE

  • All
  • trending

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

Stress, fear and homelessness: The threat looming over families confronted with eviction

File photo dated 07/11/03 of a prison cell.

The Other Prison Pandemic

Latest from TLE

Downing Street probe into Cameron headed by son of Tory peer who is already a government adviser

Coventry pub investigated after hundreds of people queue up for midnight opening

Elevenses: What Is Our Agenda?

MPs to spend seven and a half hours paying tribute to Prince Philip

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: jack@thelondoneconomic.com

Commercial enquiries, please contact: advertise@thelondoneconomic.com

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Film
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech & Auto
  • About The London Economic
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy policy

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.