Cut special offers on sugary foods, says delayed review

A raft of measures is needed to reduce how much sugar people consume, Public Health England has said in its much delayed review of the evidence.

Reducing special offers and discounts on sugary foods in supermarkets, shops, and restaurants, controlling advertising of high sugar products to children, and reducing the sugar content and portion sizes of processed foods would all help to reduce sugar consumption, it said.1

The government should also consider a tax on high sugar foods, such as 10% to 20% levy on the price of sugar sweetened drinks, it said, though it added that this was likely to be less effective than the other three measures.

The review, which was originally due to be published in July, was finally published on 22 October after the main author told MPs about its main findings two days earlier.2 3

Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: …