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| Cadbury makes anti-obesity pledge with cap on chocolate bar calories | Cadbury makes anti-obesity pledge with cap on chocolate bar calories |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Cadbury is to stop making and selling chocolate bars in Britain containing more than 250 calories in response to the government's voluntary anti-obesity drive. | Cadbury is to stop making and selling chocolate bars in Britain containing more than 250 calories in response to the government's voluntary anti-obesity drive. |
| Cadbury, owned by the US confectionery group Mondelēz International, has said it will phase out "bar and a half" products such as Dairy Milk bar and a half. Mondelēz said it would also consider altering the size of at least two other brands, and indicated that these would be correspondingly reduced in price. | Cadbury, owned by the US confectionery group Mondelēz International, has said it will phase out "bar and a half" products such as Dairy Milk bar and a half. Mondelēz said it would also consider altering the size of at least two other brands, and indicated that these would be correspondingly reduced in price. |
| Most of Mondelēz's products already fall below the 250-calorie cap, but the company, which also makes Philadelphia cheese and Belvita breakfast biscuits, said the move was part of its commitment to "help our consumers snack mindfully". | Most of Mondelēz's products already fall below the 250-calorie cap, but the company, which also makes Philadelphia cheese and Belvita breakfast biscuits, said the move was part of its commitment to "help our consumers snack mindfully". |
| In a statement it said: "Mondelēz International knows it has a part to play in helping people lead healthier lives. One way to do this is to help consumers reduce their calorie intake, which is why we signed the calorie reduction pledge. As part of this pledge, we have committed that, by the end of 2015, all our single-serve confectionery products [bars] will be 250 calories or less." | In a statement it said: "Mondelēz International knows it has a part to play in helping people lead healthier lives. One way to do this is to help consumers reduce their calorie intake, which is why we signed the calorie reduction pledge. As part of this pledge, we have committed that, by the end of 2015, all our single-serve confectionery products [bars] will be 250 calories or less." |
| The announcement was made last week in an update to the Department of Health's voluntary anti-obesity scheme with food companies. | The announcement was made last week in an update to the Department of Health's voluntary anti-obesity scheme with food companies. |
| In 2012 Mars said it would cut the calorie content of its bars to a maximum of 250 calories by the end of 2013, in line with the public health responsibility deal promoted by Andrew Lansley when he was health secretary. | In 2012 Mars said it would cut the calorie content of its bars to a maximum of 250 calories by the end of 2013, in line with the public health responsibility deal promoted by Andrew Lansley when he was health secretary. |
| The deal has been criticised for letting companies off the hook, since businesses only have to make voluntary pledges of limited action in return for ministerial promises not to impose tougher rules. | The deal has been criticised for letting companies off the hook, since businesses only have to make voluntary pledges of limited action in return for ministerial promises not to impose tougher rules. |
| The responsibility deal is a voluntary scheme that asks companies to sign up to pledges to support healthy choices. This includes reducing the amount of salt, fat, sugar, alcohol unit and calories in their products, and taking action to improve health at work and promote physical activity. | The responsibility deal is a voluntary scheme that asks companies to sign up to pledges to support healthy choices. This includes reducing the amount of salt, fat, sugar, alcohol unit and calories in their products, and taking action to improve health at work and promote physical activity. |
| But many companies have so far ignored the government's pleas to cut the amount of fat, salt or sugar in their products. Danone, Tate & Lyle and Kellogg's and other big food and drink producers are among the firms who have shunned appeals to make their products less energy-dense to help meet the government's target of people in England consuming a combined total of 5bn fewer calories a day. | |
| But the Department of Health last month said good progress was being made across the board. As part of the calorie-reduction pledge, it said Britvic now produced only its "no added sugar" Fruit Shoot in the UK. This will remove an estimated 2.2bn calories from the children's drinks market. | But the Department of Health last month said good progress was being made across the board. As part of the calorie-reduction pledge, it said Britvic now produced only its "no added sugar" Fruit Shoot in the UK. This will remove an estimated 2.2bn calories from the children's drinks market. |
| The department also trumpeted progress in reduction of alcohol consumption. The industry made a commitment to remove from the market 1bn units of alcohol sold annually, with a deadline of December 2015. This would be principally through widening consumer choice with regard to lower-alcohol products. | The department also trumpeted progress in reduction of alcohol consumption. The industry made a commitment to remove from the market 1bn units of alcohol sold annually, with a deadline of December 2015. This would be principally through widening consumer choice with regard to lower-alcohol products. |
| But there is a long way to go. Last week an authoritative global study reported that there were higher levels of obese and overweight people in the UK than anywhere else in western Europe, except for Iceland and Malta. | But there is a long way to go. Last week an authoritative global study reported that there were higher levels of obese and overweight people in the UK than anywhere else in western Europe, except for Iceland and Malta. |
| In the UK, 67% of men and 57% of women are either overweight or obese, according to the Global Burden of Disease study, published in the Lancet medical journal. More than a quarter of children worldwide are overweight or obese – 26% of boys and 29% of girls. | In the UK, 67% of men and 57% of women are either overweight or obese, according to the Global Burden of Disease study, published in the Lancet medical journal. More than a quarter of children worldwide are overweight or obese – 26% of boys and 29% of girls. |
| • This article was amended on Wednesday 4 June 2014 as Sainsbury's, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Unilever and Kraft (which is part of Mondelez) have signed up to the calorie reduction pledge. |