04 Jan 2018 New Change4Life campaign targets sugary snacks
‘100 calorie snacks, two a day max’
Earlier this week, Public Health England launched a new wave of their flagship Change4Life campaign, specifically promoting healthier snack choices for children. The campaign is part of a bid to help children consume less sugar, as half of all sugar intake in children comes from snacks and sugary drinks – which is putting children’s health at risk.
The £4.5m investment into the new campaign will include new advertisements using their iconic animations, online resources and information leaflets. The campaign will also host some experimental roadshows in the months following the launch, promoting key messages into the community.
The slogan of the new campaign encourages parents to look for ‘100 calorie snacks, two a day max’ to help them purchase healthier snacks than the ones they currently buy. PHE claims that lunch boxes are filled with unhealthy snacks and children consistently snack on sugary foods and beverages between meals. On average, children are consuming at least 3 unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, with around a third consuming 4 or more. The overall result is that children consume 3 times more sugar than is recommended by public health guidance.
Parents can sign up on the Change4Life website online to get vouchers for money off healthier snacks, such as malt loaf, lower sugar fromage frais, and drinks with no added sugar. Also available on the Change4Life website are suggestions and ideas to make healthy snacks for children.
Some supermarkets will also be involved in promoting the campaign. Tesco will help parents – instore and online – choose affordable, healthier snacks that are 100 calories or less. Co-op will also provide tasty and healthy snacking products, making it easier for customers to make healthier choices on the go.
Whilst this guidance will help to inform parents and children of healthier snacks available in the supermarkets, much more can be done by the food and drink industry to stop the promotion on unhealthy snacks. Banning price promotions on unhealthy snacks and drinks in supermarkets and continuing efforts to reformulate products to contain less sugar would also help to create a healthier food environment. In addition, restricting the marketing of these snacks to children, particularly through general audience viewing, are also important routes in promoting healthier snacking and overall eating habits in children.
To find out more about the campaign, follow this link.
