'Buy one, get one free' deals for unhealthy food banned in England. This isn't going to solve the obesity crisis

[Antimimisti]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89d54gv44qo

"Multi-buy promotions do not save people money – in fact, they encourage them to spend more.
"They are designed to encourage impulsive purchases and to normalise buying more and more frequently."
He [Greg Fell, president of the Association of Public Health Directors] said he hoped retailers would now turn towards promoting healthy products more, to make healthier choices easier and more accessible.

Is this true? I don't think it reflects my shopping habits. If I buy something on a multi-buy it's because I'd be buying more than one anyway and it's a bonus to get it cheaper. It isn't the case that because I buy two, I eat two in the same timeframe I'd only normally have eaten one.

My thoughts are this initiative is likely to make things harder for people, especially those with large families to feed. I'm all for restricting advertising of junk food, but supermarkets should be able to set their own pricing.

If the government is worried about junk food consumption in England, why don't they stop councils allowing multiple fast food outlets and Drive Thru McDonalds to spring up in towns? Why don't they start a junk food tax on Deliveroo etc.?

In the US where healthcare is private and not state-provided, the healthcare providers can give financial incentives via workpworkplacelace schemes etc to make healthier choices (so it ultimately saves them money in paying for treatment for avoidable conditions). I'd say that was more the equivalent than the govt wanting to "nanny" us for the sake of it.

Once Digital ID is up and running, perhaps they will introduce dynamic pricing based on BMI and other criteria from the NHS app and other fitness monitoring software.
I foresee a black market for chocolate digestives etc.

Thats brilliant. I would make sure to go in, in my lightest clothes and no heavy shoes for weigh ins!

Lots of children suddenly doing the weekly shop

Not sure how I feel about this.

UPF and unhealthy foods are the cheapest to produce typically. When you have a population in poverty, they are going to buy the cheapest and most palatable foods, that they know (those with families) their kids will eat.

I run a food bank for a living. People generally want to eat well, everything else being equal. But everything else isn't equal.

I was only saying last week that I haven't seen BOGOF offers in years! On anything at all, not just junk food. So no, it won't change anything at all!

If you google it, its just a change of name, dont take the plans too literally, it hopefully will apply to 'offers' that encourage double buying

So a quick skim on Tesco at the moment has a number of buy 3 for 2 or Tesco club card prices on quite a lot of junky type products

I didnt check the rest

And end of aisle offers are also the equivalent.