Grocers urged to scrap junk foods from eye-level shelves as obesity crisis bites

A health charity has urged supermarkets to remove junk food from shelves at eye level to reduce obesity levels.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) said in a report that store layouts were designed to lure shoppers into making unnecessary and unhealthy food and drink purchases.

The charity found that over a third of shoppers had bought unhealthy food on impulse because they saw it on offer, while three quarters of parents reported to have been urged by their children to purchase junk food.

As of 2019, 29 per cent of adults in the UK are classified as obese, while 20 per cent of year 6 children are obese, according to NHS’ statistics on obesity, physical activity and diet.

Retail Gazette