While governments worry about obesity, the majority of shoppers are more concerned about savings when shopping for food.Supermarkets have vowed to add more fruit and vegetables to ready meals, as governments step up the battle to get people eating healthily. Obesity is a huge cost to Britain’s National Health Service, and ministers have finally woken up to the threat to the Nation’s health. In their latest publicity stunt, major outlets are removing sweets and chocolates from checkout aisles, to help control obesity. There has been a huge protest surge, fed by online communities, so supermarkets were forced to listen to parents who besieged forums to demand shops remove temptation from children, waiting at checkout.
Fruit and Vegetables allocated more spaceInstead of placing Fruit and veg sections at the back of the store, these are gradually encroaching into prime sales areas arranged more attractively, in a bid to entice customers. Children often dislike vegetables, so in a surreptitious bid to smuggle these in under kids’ radar, supermarkets are quietly increasing fruit and vegetables content in ready meals. However, there is a long way to go, as latest report revealed less than a third of adults and only one in 10 children are eating their recommended five-a-day of fruit and vegetables.
A recent poll showed 23% Britons think chips count as vegetables 49% think the same of roast potatoes. Iceland, Aldi and Lidl will include more ‘child friendly’ displays with ‘fun cartoon characters’, and Subway will launch a new campaign, fronted by athletes Louis Smith and Anthony Ogogo for low-fat and salad options. Now, Lutosa has come up with a Veggie Burger. Lutosa’s Veggie Burger contains potato and six different vegetables: carrots, green beans, sweet corn, red peppers, cauliflower and broccoli. Normally, most children will refuse to eat at least one of these, but when disguised in a Burger – they swallow them. The burgers can be cooked four ways, and don’t contain gluten.
Britain’s Department of Health has launched a Responsibility Deal to improve public health. But what is really needed is a cartoon character like Popeye – famed for eating spinach; if Spiderman or the latest cartoon hero munches carrots or other veg., children will follow. Joining in the debate, Jamie Oliver is lending his support to teaching children around the world how to eat more healthily.
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