Food and Soft Drink Industry: Sugar

Lord Patel Excerpts

Tuesday 11th February 2014 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I think that the compliment should be paid to my noble friend Lord Ribeiro for the part that he played in bringing about the amendment on smoking in cars. A number of soft drinks companies have taken action to reduce calorie content in their drinks. Coca-Cola has reformulated its Sprite product. AG Barr pledged to reduce the average calorific content in its portfolio of drinks. I have mentioned Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s actions on their own brands. Premier Foods has reformulated various products and reduced sugar in those. Therefore, we are making headway and I think that the responsibility deal is proving its worth.

[Lord Patel (CB)]

Does the Minister think it might be advisable to ask the Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to define a standard of added sugar that should not be exceeded in 100 millilitres of fluid or 100 grams of food?

[Earl Howe]

I believe that I am right in saying that the experts would advise that it depends on the product that we are looking at. One cannot make a blanket rule for every type of food and drink.