Thursday 26th May 2016

(7 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Walmsley Portrait Baroness Walmsley (LD)
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My Lords, is the Minister aware that some food manufacturers and supermarkets are delaying their reformulation programmes in anticipation of the strategy? Is he also aware that they would welcome mandatory industry standards for potentially harmful ingredients so that they do not lose competitiveness when they do the right thing?

Lord Prior of Brampton Portrait Lord Prior of Brampton
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My Lords, I think that the announcement of the sugar levy on sugary drinks has meant that that part of the industry has been forewarned of what is coming in the strategy. Already there are signs from some of the manufacturers that they are reformulating their products—which is the whole purpose of a levy rather than a tax.