Young Children: Convenience Foods

Lord Scriven Excerpts

Wednesday 4th June 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

On the three ways forward that the noble Lord identified, the approach often has to be a mix of all three. It is the balance that is the point under debate, and it has to be informed by evidence. I certainly share the noble Lord’s view about the importance of civil society and working with community groups. Indeed, my department, but also the Department for Education and other departments, have worked closely with community groups in order to advance the policies and practices we need to improve the health of the youngest in our communities.

[Lord Scriven (LD)]

My Lords, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommends that free sugars are limited for babies and toddlers, yet it reported that our children have excess sugars and 20% comes from snacks aimed at young children. How do the Government plan to ensure that manufacturers are taking actions that do not directly contribute to childhood obesity?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Further to my answer to the last question, we are taking a multifaceted approach. The advice that we give to parents and carers is important, because the noble Lord raises a very important point about not overusing snacks. Although the regulations are roughly the same across the UK and the EU, in the UK we recommend that six months is the point of weaning, whereas across the EU it is four months. So there is some lack of clarity, although we are very clear about where snacks are not needed, which is up to the point of 12 months. We work to ensure not only that people have regulations for protection but that parents and carers are aware of what they should do in terms of providing a healthy and balanced diet for their children.