The sale of “super-size” chocolate bars to be banned in England hospitals

By Sally Robertson, B.Sc.Oct 16 2017

NHS England has said it will be banning the sale of “super-sized” chocolate bars in hospital shops, canteens and vending machines.

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The ban will mean chocolate bars and sweets sold on hospital premises will contain no more than 250 calories.

There will also be a ban on “grab bags” – sealed bags containing an assortment of items – and 75% of pre-packed sandwiches will contain less than 400 calories. In addition, pre-packed savory meals and sandwiches will contain no more than 4g of saturated fat per 100g and 80% of drinks will contain less than 5g of added sugar per 100mL.

Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, says these steps are being taken to help combat “an epidemic of obesity, preventable diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease and cancer.” The aim is to replace the calorie-laden, sugary snacks that are currently available in hospitals with healthier foods.

NHS staff will also be targeted as part of the effort to address unhealthy eating; current estimates show that almost 700,000 of the 1.3 million people working for the service are obese or overweight.

Public Health England says the role hospitals play in tackling obesity should not just be treating those who suffer its consequences; they should also be helping to prevent obesity in the first place.

The Royal Voluntary Service says it has already started selling healthier foods, with fruit sales having risen by about 25%.

Helen Dickens from Diabetes UK says: "We look forward to seeing more information on how it will work in practice.”

However, this is only one piece of the puzzle in addressing the issue of obesity and further action is required, says Dickens, “which is why we are also calling for the Government to toughen restrictions on junk food marketing to children, end price promotions on unhealthy foods and introduce mandatory front of pack food labelling."