Almost nine out of 10 bags of a snack privileged by parents and children are considered so unhealthy that they would have been prohibited under new advertising rules, militants noted.
New research by activists on salt and sugar have revealed that dozens of so -called “healthier” snacks often given by parents to children are “unnecessarily” stuck with sugar or salt.
And, in many cases, these levels are so excessive ” that the snacks themselves will soon be deemed too salty or sweet to be announced to children online or on television before the 9 p.m. watershed, under new rules.
The new advertising rules come into force from October. They aim to reduce children’s exposure to foods rich in fat, salt and sugar.
Unhealthy snacks adapted to children
Action researchers on salt and sugar examined 1,200 different snacks, including chips, popcorn and nuts, and found that a large percentage of them obtained a “less healthy” score under the new government regulations.
The study revealed that 77% of chips, 56% of nuts and 88% of popcorn were too unhealthy to be announced to children under new rules.
The action on salt and sugar said: “Although it is considered healthier snacks, many popcorn and nut products contain excessively high levels of salt and sugar that contribute to poor health.
According to activists, one of the worst offenders is the popcorn of Market Street Toffee flavor from Morrisons, which contains 59.1 g of sugar per 100 g – the equivalent of more than seven teaspoons per portion.
The shocking results far exceed the maximum daily limit of a child for sugar.
But other popcorn snacks ready to eat are almost as bad. Although it is marketed as a healthier snack, 42% of the popcorn that researchers considered a score too high for total sugars.
The results highlight how more than a quarter (27%) of all these products contain more than maximum government -voluntary salt targets.
And one in three out of three snacks turned out to be more salted than a pack of cheese and onion chips.
Slutch than seawater
The results also showed that other snacks were also full of salt and sugar.
Certain packets of chips were much higher than the government’s salt target, with chips of real lenses, chili and lemon were distinguished as among the worst. It turned out to contain 3.6 g of salt per 100 g, which makes it more salty than the concentration of sea water.
In fact, one in three products required a salt warning label at the front of the pack.
And, although naturally lower in salt, simple nuts have also not respected the healthier standards set out by the government. Meanwhile, almost one out of four flavored nuts exceeded salt targets.
The action on salt and sugar has also targeted the sugar levels of snacks often given to children, stressing that the results for them were “equally concerning”.
Whitworths Shots Chocolate & Hazelnut Packs contain 51 g of total sugars per 100 g, with a portion of 25 g containing more than three teaspoons of sugars.
Hidden salt and sugar crisis in the United Kingdom
Experts have now called to do more in the fight against salt and sugar.
Sonia Pombo, responsible for impact and research on salt, said:
“It is clear that voluntary efforts to improve food nutrition have largely failed.
“However, this is not a feasibility because some companies have already shown that reformulation is possible.”
She added:
“It is time for the government to become difficult with companies and implement compulsory objectives with strong application.
“Without this, the hidden crisis of the hidden salt and sugar of the United Kingdom will persist, endangering consumers in danger and leaving the brands responsible in an disadvantage in an unequal market.”
Kate Howard, campaign coordinator for Recipe for Change, added: “Food companies continue to harm our health with the products they put on their shelves.”
