Editor<p><strong>Ban on supermarket deals for 16 different foods approved by Senedd</strong></p><p>The new rules passed by the Senedd lay out about how and where foods high in fat, salt and sugar can be promoted and displayed in larger shops and online.</p><p>The Welsh Government say the regulations are designed to prevent impulse purchases and over-consumption and will help to tackle the growing problem of obesity in Wales.</p><p>Critics however have described the legislation as “nanny state nonsense” that will effectively ban meal deals as we know them, multi-buy, such as buy one get one free offers and free drinks refills completely as well as restricting retailers from placing ‘unhealthy’ products at shop entrances and prime aisle locations.</p><p>The new restrictions, likely to take effect in a year’s time, include 16 different categories of food. These are:</p><ul><li>Soft drinks</li><li>Chocolate confectionery</li><li>Sugar confectionery</li><li>Cakes</li><li>Ice cream</li><li>Morning goods (pastries)</li><li>Puddings and dairy desserts</li><li>Sweet biscuits</li><li>Breakfast cereals</li><li>Yogurts</li><li>Milk based drinks with added sugar</li><li>Juice based drinks with added sugar</li><li>Pizza</li><li>Crisps and savoury snacks</li><li>Ready meals and meal centres (e.g. burgers, chicken nuggets, breaded chicken/fish)</li><li>Chips and potato products</li></ul><p>The Welsh Government say the new rules are designed to encourage healthier choices and make nutritious food more accessible and visible.</p><p><strong>Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said:</strong> “These regulations are a key part of our strategy to tackle Wales’ growing obesity problem.</p><p>“I’m pleased they have been approved by the Senedd, as they will have a significant impact on the health of our nation for years to come. </p><p>“We want to make it easier for people to make healthier choices and we’ll achieve this by improving the food environment around them. If we ensure healthier food and drinks are more available, accessible and visible to people in shops and stores, it will support our efforts to reduce obesity rates and improve public health.”</p><p>The Welsh Conservatives say the UK Department of Health and Social Care have developed a methodology which concludes that a retailer is likely to see sales revenue reduce by 0.59% due to the restrictions, resulting in a near £11 million estimated total loss in profits for businesses across the regulations’ appraisal period.</p><p><strong>James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care said:</strong> “Labour’s proposals are nanny state nonsense that will hit the poorest people in their pockets.</p><p>“Keir Starmer promised to ease the cost of living and hasn’t, with Welsh Labour following suit here by pushing up costs for working people.</p><p>“Welsh Conservatives believe in personal responsibility. Efforts to tackle obesity must be focussed on providing support for grassroots sports clubs, increase the amount of sport played in schools, and encouraging more people to get active – not forcibly pushing up the price of the weekly shop.”</p><p><strong><em>(Lead image: unsplash)</em></strong></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/food-drink/" target="_blank">#foodDrink</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/retail/" target="_blank">#retail</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/supermarkets/" target="_blank">#supermarkets</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://swanseabaynews.com/tag/welsh-government/" target="_blank">#WelshGovernment</a></p>