Ultra-processed foods ‘fuelling public health emergency’
Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
Senedd members warned of a public health emergency due to the dominance of ultra-processed food in people’s diets.
Labour’s Jenny Rathbone led a debate on a cross-party motion which was co-submitted by the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru.
She told the Senedd: “The food industry spends billions promoting our disastrous diets and we have to use the power of community to fight back.”
Ms Rathbone warned: “There’s no time to lose. The ever-escalating diabetes epidemic is already devouring 17% of the NHS budget.
“The levels of malnutrition among hospital patients are prolonging patient stays, and the main driver of early death and chronic illness is not smoking but our obesogenic diets.”
‘Getting worse’
The Conservatives’ Peter Fox introduced an ultimately unsuccessful bill on sustainable production and food security in 2021.
“We don’t need data to show that things are getting worse,” said Mr Fox, a farmer and former council leader. “It’s clearly evident all around us.
“We see growing levels of obesity across our population and, worryingly, a significant rise in childhood obesity leading to serious health-related issues, such as childhood diabetes.”
During the February 12 debate, Plaid Cŷmru’s Llyr Gruffydd warned that too many people in Wales struggle to access fresh, healthy and affordable food.
He urged ministers to make greater use of public procurement to improve food in schools, hospitals and care homes while supporting Welsh producers.
‘National emergency’
Labour’s Lee Waters broadly agreed, telling the Senedd that only about 6% of fruit and veg used by the Welsh public sector is grown in Wales.
He said: “What’s stopping us from supporting Welsh farmers and buying local? Well, we don’t grow enough veg for a start, so there’s an opportunity for farmers to embrace horticulture to create new sources of income.”
But the former minister stressed the need to influence the private sector, with the value of all public food procurement equivalent to the annual turnover of one big supermarket.
Warning of a public health emergency, Alun Davies, a fellow Labour backbencher, urged the Welsh Government to put food centre stage.
He said: “I think it’s no exaggeration to say that obesity is an absolute national emergency and it’s not a national emergency that is an act of God; it’s an act of capitalism.”
‘Pale imitation’
Huw Irranca-Davies said the Welsh Government’s community food strategy would be published as soon as possible as he pointed to spending on local food partnerships.
The deputy first minister, who is responsible for food policy, described the food sector as a real success story employing 228,000 people or 17% of Wales’s workforce.
Ms Rathbone argued the community food strategy will be insufficient, warning a lack of follow through and rigorous execution has left Wales a very pale imitation of Scotland.
She said: “France and Italy would never have allowed their children to be sold the second-class food that is being served in our schools today.
“And I want to see the commitment to actually ban ultra-processed food from all public procurement – that is what we need to work towards.
“We can’t achieve it overnight but we need to set a date and do it.”
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People just need to learn even basic cooking skills. Fresh food is far cheaper than than processed garbage, and way heslthier.
We’ve known for years, do something about it…
People have to eat, you are not winning converts from the starvation party, if supplying the daily bread is thought a success story by him, I don’t know, one day its cats, two young ladies in the woods the next…what a cushy number for a six figure wage…anyone got Musk’s phone number…
The emphasis has always been on the general public to eat healthy, not on the food companies being stopped from selling us food that hurts us. We’ve known for years that ultra processed food is bad – why are they allowed to sell it to us? It’s time the government acted.
Well we can all act by not buying the toxic muck. That’s how I manage. The stuff I buy is dearer but, and it’s a big but, I use less because it’s more nutritious. Simple really but the fast food and junk food peddlers don’t want you to know that.
But the bad food is still the cheapest food and with the cost of living the way it is, those watching the pennies will always choose the cheapest option. If we are to address the chronic health problems associated with processed food – everyone needs to play their part and as I said, primarily, the food companies selling this stuff in the first place.
What a complete joke , Labour now with others trying to dictate the food we eat. This government has been in the position to have change peoples ideas for 25 years and as usual nothing has changed. Periodically some Senedd member comes up with new ideas that get shown the filing cabinet. We have Labour and Plaid demanding to feed every child in school and yet those kids who get it are now eating rubbish. Where are parents of course they needn’t worry government is feeding their kids. Hospitals serve the most disgusting food ever invented and have done for… Read more »
Projectile vomiting from the smell coming up the lift shaft…
No kitchen, factory to microwave (25 years ago but the smell lingers)…
Aren’t we are being told to eat less meat, there is no food more highly processed than the disgusting meat substitutes.
Read the long list of chemical that are in this rubbish.