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Chocolate bars to be downsized
Danny Brierley5 Feb 2009
The Government is set to order manufacturers to shrink the size of chocolate bars and fizzy drinks.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson will tell firms such as Mars, Coca- Cola, Britvic and Nestlé that smaller versions of their products should be available in all garages and corner shops to help stop people piling on weight.
He will also say small packs of dried fruit, nuts and fresh fruit should be widely available at places where people buy on impulse and warn that sugar levels must be cut in all products.
The obesity drive is part of the Change4 Life campaign and could lead to tougher regulation if the warnings go unheeded. Mr Johnson will say: “People want to eat more healthily. I challenge the industry to come up with healthier snacks. That's not just good for the nation's health, it's also good for business.”
The Government believes businesses can create a world-leading “healthy market”.
Reader views (28)
I don't think of the action largely as a move towards a nanny state, but I think it's a pretty bad choice to shrink the size of sodas and candy bars because conversely, children are inclined to buy and eventually eat more.
Researchers from Tilburg University in the Netherlands clearly had it straight a few months ago. They asked their students to watch ads on TV and placed a large bag and nine bags of chips (crisps) in front of them. When most of the students ate the small bags, they consumed twice the amount as did the students with the larger one.
Bottom line - this scheme really doesn't work! Now that's off my chest, I recently had a salad with clover sprouts, nuts, and feta, and the monounsaturated fats, protein, and fiber did me well, thank you very much. I hope children's snacks are on the same boat regarding nutritional value.
- Whizkidforte, Dover, FL, United States, 21/02/2009 22:12
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The worlds gone mad,
we fought for a free world to do and say what we wanted, not to be caged, but everyday this Government wants to poke its nose in, .... well I say back off and stop telling me what to do, I don't ring the Government every five minutes telling them what they should be doing and if I did would they listen?.
- John.L., Scarborough N.Yks U.K., 06/02/2009 10:59
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I dare say the House of Commons' tuck shop will be exempt. After all, MPs get subsidised bars when they're lecturing us about happy hours and the dangers of drink; the smoking ban does not apply; their pension funds are gold plated while the private sector's slide down the pan, started by Brown's tax grab; they spend what they want of our money on expenses. Nice work if you can get it.
- Paul, London, 06/02/2009 10:32
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I for one, resent any governments attempt to regulate what I eat, or how much I eat.
I refuse to pay the same amount of money for smaller portions. If they are going to down-size the portions, then they should lower the price of the food item.
The who thing sound like another scam and a big rip-off.
What I eat and how much I eat, is nobody's damn business, and how much I weigh is nobody's dame business.
First the government wants to regulate portion sizes, next they'll want to regulate the size of our bodies.
To Hell with these Government Granny Nannies!
- Fat Man, El Paso, Texas, USA, 06/02/2009 07:21
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Coming soon to a market near you: Draconian rationing of candy and fizzy drink purchases based upon BMI, with severe criminal penalties and heavy fines for those who attempt to buy, or subborn others to buy for them, anything besides their alotted quota.
- Badkarma, Kansas City MO, USA, 05/02/2009 23:10
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"People want to eat more healthily" according to mr. Johnson? Then leave us free to make our own choices on what we buy rather than regulating all the taste out of our treats. Walk into any supermarket and the fruit and veg section is usually bigger than the confectionary section. It's not as if we're starved of healthy options. People are getting fatter simply because people are less active.
- Alexander Buday, Cardiff, UK, 05/02/2009 22:46
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The sooner the get rid of bottled water and we get back to tap water the better. The public are conned by 'mineral waters' and water purifers which are harming the development of young childrens growth. Chocolate should be rationed and only Fair Trade allowed to be sold in shops. As for Coke and Pepsi... enough said. They contain an addictive additive.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex, 05/02/2009 18:13
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Chocolate bars to be made smaller. No mention of how much the price is to be reduced. Nice one for the manufacturers. And are we to be stopped from buying two bars, or a box of chocolates? No. As long as we pay more to increase the chocolate makers profits. And what item is this cunning ruse next going to be applied to? Surely one feature writer can discusss this in the newspapers and point out to people how they are being conned?
- Lawson, Bury St Edmunds, England, 05/02/2009 17:53
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Odd thing is - they have a point in the last 10 year's the chocolate bars makers have introduced duo bars (100g vs around 60g) and the fizzy drink venders have gone from 330ml cans to 500ml bottles.
Many vending machines at stations and WH Smiths at Waterloo now only stock the larger items.
For myself I just buy 400g bars of chocolate at Asda and put some in my bag for when I need it.
- Roger, London, 05/02/2009 17:42
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What on Earth has the size of chocolate bars got to do with the state?
Is there nothing sacred from the control freaks of NuLiebour? It's not like they don't have more important issues to address!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 05/02/2009 16:53
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Is there anything I am allowed to do anymore? I can't drink, smoke, eat chocolate, park my car, drive in London, send my children to University, keep my personal data confidential......when will this Government stop the pretence and try to declare Britain a socialist republic?
- Mark, London, 05/02/2009 15:43
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Please England for the love of God and all humanity get control of your socialist nanny state government!
Any sense of personal responsibility is being driven out of your population at an alarming rate - and that disease is spreading to my country like wildfire!
- Trunk, US, 05/02/2009 15:38
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And will the government be cutting down the portion sizes in the Houses of Parliaments many restaurants and bars? The politicians are hardly a bunch of sylphs, are they, so I doubt it! Same old, same old hypocrisy!
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 05/02/2009 15:32
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As if this is anything to do with health hahaha. They want to reduce the size of the product while the price goes UP!
Not kidding nobody.
- Serox, London, 05/02/2009 14:44
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Is anybody taking bets as to whether the prices will fall in equal proportion? I've never seen it yet when product sizes or packages shrink, but I suppose there could always be a first time.
- Deborah, London, 05/02/2009 13:53
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I WILL JUST STUFF MY FACE WITH DOUBLE OF EVERYTHING THEY TRY TO TAKE OFF ME!
- John, London, 05/02/2009 13:48
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I'd like to suggest another viewpoint. Many people are underweight and trying to put on weight. I, for instance, need to gain weight and given that my meals are already healthy my strategy is to retain the healthy elements but increase calory intake. One way of doing this is with snacks and trying to make myself eat a pudding after dinner (ie as well as having more fruit to retain the balance, I need more 'bad' foods). I've been amazed at how difficult this is - so many of my options are now 'low fat' or 'healthy' varieties, the exact opposite of what I need. Please, please leave some fattening options out there for those of us who need them!
- Suzanne, London, 05/02/2009 13:30
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It shows how intrusive this large covt is.
It is not their business, save that more packaging required to get the same amount of product, and it will presumably cost more. Is this a wheez to get more tax, VAT etc?
Better to downsize the State legions!
- Hugh, Middx, 05/02/2009 13:18
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What next? Why not stop the manufacturers from making clothes bigger than a size 16 or a 'Large' - if you can't get the clothes you'll have to lose weight I guess...
- Jj, London, 05/02/2009 13:09
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We can't down size the government. They're already so stupid that they can only become more intelligent, thus dangerous?
This is the first step to getting less for the same amount of money. PRODUCT IN-DE-FLATION!
- A Winsley, London, 05/02/2009 12:56
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When are these interfering busybodies going to get lost?
Have they nothing better to do?
If I was allowed to curse here I would blow up the website with my expleteives in sheer frustration at the stunts this goverment pull! Arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhh!!!!
- Chocoholic, London, 05/02/2009 12:55
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I'm counting down the days until I can leave this country.....
- Alan, London, 05/02/2009 12:54
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Is there anything this government won't interfere with? Go away and leave us alone.
If you really want to look after our health and sanity GIVE US AN ELECTION.......
- Denise, London UK, 05/02/2009 12:54
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If this dratted government didn't make us all feel so miserable perhaps we wouldn't have to seek solace in chocolate!
- Simon, London, 05/02/2009 12:53
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Can we downsize government too, please?
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 05/02/2009 11:57
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The world has gone mad...someone needs to stop this Lunatic government before they completely dictate our lives....
- Nicky, london, 05/02/2009 11:46
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When will this government learn? IT'S OUR CHOICE WHAT WE EAT AND IN WHAT QUANTITIES. If they make sizes smaller I'll just buy two instead of one.
- Ged, Ramsgate, Kent, 05/02/2009 11:37
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So the porkers will just buy two! Expect a price war as 'healthy' snacks approach their 'best before' dates untouched.
- Paul, London, 05/02/2009 11:32
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