Jamie Oliver has called on the British public to converge on Downing Street carrying bowls of Eton Mess to protest against the Government’s U-turn on its child obesity strategy.
The chef, 46, said the Government’s decision to scrap a ban on buy one, get one free deals for junk food products was “reckless”.
A ban on TV adverts for food and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar before the 9pm watershed is also being delayed by 12 months.
Mr Oliver wrote in an Instagram post: “Prime minister @borisjohnsonuk 36 hours to reconsider your reckless U-turn on the childhood obesity strategy to protect child health…..
“If he doesn’t do the right thing I call on the British public to turn up number 10 Downing Street at 12:30 for 15 minutes with the dessert of Eaten mess symbolising the privilege and the mess that is our British government. And its inability to do the right thing….
“Please support and share I really need your help guys you can do it in a lunch break ask your boss but please join me to reassure Boris Johnson and all of his ministers that this child health strategy is not a luxury it’s a necessity.”
Mr Oliver has long campaigned for healthy eating and for improved access to nutritious food for children.
Ministers have claimed the measures will be postponed to ease the cost of living crisis, despite widespread condemnation of the delay by health campaigners.
An impact assessment published by the Government in 2020 showed promotions on unhealthy foods resulted in £75 of additional spending per year for the average household. Though this was offset by £61 in savings, the report noted that the “impact of multibuy promotions is an overall expenditure of £14”.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Conservative MP Jo Gideon argued “marketing tactics” mean people spend and eat more than intended, and so “have a real financial cost as well as a negative health impact”.
“In Britain we are trapped in a junk food cycle,” she said, “yet we’ve had decades, even centuries of political barriers to good food policy”.
Former health minister Lord Bethell told BBC Radio 4 that he was concerned the U-turn would “blow a hole in the obesity strategy”.
“More people are getting cancer due to obesity-related effects,” he said. “So the cancer 10-year plan, the extra five years of longevity and many more of our health targets are damaged by this.”
