Food Standard Scotland (FSS) is considering a package of measures to tackle advertising, promotion and potion size of certain foods and drinks, which would be considered for taxation and regulation in order to improve Scottish diet.
FSS CEO Geoff Ogle said: "Since Food Standards Scotland was established just short of 10 months ago, we have been evaluating and considering a wide range of measures to help improve the Scottish diet. We're now in a position to take our recommendations to our Board for them to decide what should be taken forward and recommended to Scottish Government Ministers.
"We're very aware there is no single silver bullet solution to reducing our obesity and overweight problem, and indeed these problems are not solely diet-related, as exercise and being more active plays a vital role too. But we do believe that the measures we are proposing are vital pieces of the jigsaw. We've been missing the Scottish Dietary Goals for the last 15 years, despite all the good work that's been done, so we believe that radical change is needed."
In partnership with Kantar Worldwide, FSS is publishing a report named Monitoring foods and drinks purchased into home in Scotland. The report was drafted using retail data from Kantar Worldwide the report shows that despite reductions in the sales of soft drinks that contain high sugar levels (down by 21% since 2010), the total sugar purchase has remained the same. In Scotland, over a period of 2010-2015, the FSS figures show that the total calories bought have also not reduced at a population level.
Evidence on food and drinks shopping trends in Scotland in the past five years is also provided by the report which states that large quantities of foods such as sweets, chocolate, crisps, savoury snacks, biscuits, cakes, pastries and sugary drinks, are being consumed in Scotland.
In the lead up to Christmas, the purchases of these foods and drinks is higher, the report states. Alarmingly, the report found that on an average, an additional 9000 calories is consumed by every individual in Scotland.
The intake of these extra calories could bring a 1kg (2.2lbs) weight gain for every adult in Scotland with increased risk of diet-related ailments such as type 2 diabetes.
Geoff Ogle said: "The report we're publishing today shows that in five years the best we can say we have done is stand still. Our conclusion is that, overall, the gains made in sugary drink reduction by the drinks industry have been negated through recycling of sugar into different products within the retail offering."
Image: FSS drafts measures to tackle growing obesity concerns. Photo: Courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
