[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

education is better than tax

I agree but where do we start? Child obesity is at an all time high. Child dental problems have become a UK epidemic and children are getting type 2 diabetes which up until recently was an adult disease, but educating children isn't the answer if they have parents who continue to give them sugary sweets and drinks regardless. The long and the short of it is, children trust their parents choices.

Adults know that sugar piles on the lbs but many do it regardless, right up to the point of becoming 'sugar sick'. Its no different to a smoking addiction; it doesn't matter how much a smoker hears about the perils of smoking, they will carry on regardless until they get a smoking related illness or they themselves decide to quit.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

I agree but where do we start? Child obesity is at an all time high. Child dental problems have become a UK epidemic and children are getting type 2 diabetes which up until recently was an adult disease, but educating children isn't the answer if they have parents who continue to give them sugary sweets and drinks regardless. The long and the short of it is, children trust their parents choices.

Adults know that sugar piles on the lbs but many do it regardless, right up to the point of becoming 'sugar sick'. Its no different to a smoking addiction; it doesn't matter how much a smoker hears about the perils of smoking, they will carry on regardless until they get a smoking related illness or they themselves decide to quit.

I don't think adults are aware of the hidden sugars in labelling, and packaging is very misleading, take ribena most think that's ok because it's tageted to toddlers and it's all cute with little blackcurrants having fun on the bottle... it's rammed with sugar!

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I don't think adults are aware of the hidden sugars in labelling, and packaging is very misleading, take ribena most think that's ok because it's tageted to toddlers and it's all cute with little blackcurrants having fun on the bottle... it's rammed with sugar!

When Tescos stopped selling small carton Ribena there was a public outcry

I agree. Its not like the information isn't out there but one has to positively go looking for it.

The problem with food labelling is, you have to be a food technologist to understand some of the ingredients. Sugars are disguised under various unfamiliar names. Food companies are increasingly clever with food prep; instead of using a heap of sucrose, they divide the different types of sugars up so it appears to us, the consumer as a low sugar product. I've just picked up a health bar and its ingredients contain 17% maltose, 10% lactose 10% galactose, 8% sucrose and 8% glucose solids. That's five sugars that make up 53% of this apparently healthy bar. These companies rely on peoples naivety and I don't think they should be allowed to get away with it.

Zero fat is another scam because they have to add sugar to make up for taste.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

When Tescos stopped selling small carton Ribena there was a public outcry

I agree. Its not like the information isn't out there but one has to positively go looking for it.

The problem with food labelling is, you have to be a food technologist to understand some of the ingredients. Sugars are disguised under various unfamiliar names. Food companies are increasingly clever with food prep; instead of using a heap of sucrose, they divide the different types of sugars up so it appears to us, the consumer as a low sugar product. I've just picked up a health bar and its ingredients contain 17% maltose, 10% lactose 10% galactose, 8% sucrose and 8% glucose solids. That's five sugars that make up 53% of this apparently healthy bar. These companies rely on peoples naivety and I don't think they should be allowed to get away with it.

Zero fat is another scam because they have to add sugar to make up for taste.

Totally and I think this was at the crux of what Oliver put to the industry adviser, the fact it is so covert. Why not state this product contains 12 teaspoons of sugar? But no they like to bamboozle you with inverted corn syrup and molasses.
I think that's how they'll get around any action, by either substituting for something unrecognisable or pointing fingers at other industries exploiting our ignorance.