Unhealthy food promoted near schools and deprived areas Councillor warns
Sinn Féin representative Aisling Hutton has warned that unhealthy food is being promoted close to Derry City and Strabane’s schools and economically deprived areas.
During September’s Health and Community Committee meeting members were asked to approve an official council response to a consultation on restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS).
In July the Department of Health (DoH) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched the consultation on the restrictions, which, if implemented, will align Northern Ireland with regulations already active in England and Wales.
The consultation sought council’s views on the restriction of volume price promotions, such as multi-buy offers, the placement of HFSS products in prominent locations in stores and on-line, and a balance shift of promotions to increase the affordability of healthier options.
“The [DoH] Healthy Futures obesity strategic framework identifies the food environment as an important factor in supporting healthier choices and reducing health inequalities,” an Officers’ report said.
“The proposed restrictions are intended to help create healthier retail environments by reducing exposure to promotions that encourage the purchase of [HFSS] products.”
Councillor Hutton proposed approval, and requested that the FSA provide data on the concentration of HFSS promotions in deprived areas and near schools in Derry and Strabane.
“It’s good to see this happening and it’s very useful for families and children, because the food environment outside the home is where all the temptation comes,” she said.
“A lot of this happens in the urban areas that are highly deprived, so I just wanted to ask that with the consultation, could we ask the FSA to provide us with a local mapping or data showing the concentration in our most deprived communities and around schools.
“There’s a lot of shops around schools and you go into the shop for milk or a newspaper, there’s all of that content sitting, so if there was a mapping exercise it would be very useful.”
Speaking during the meeting, Head of Health and Community Wellbeing, Seamus Donaghy, said the response can include councillor Hutton’s suggestion, as well as “any other suggested improvements or amendments” made by elected members.