Fat chance for biscuits plan

Euro-MP Paul Nuttall

Proposals to reduce the size of cakes and biscuits to tackle Britain's increasing obesity problem have been branded 'ludicrous' by MEP Paul Nuttall.

Ministers want the portion sizes of fatty and sugar-laden foods to be cut in an attempt to halt growing waistlines.

The changes are part of the Government's 'Responsibility Deal', involving encouraging food manufacturers to reduce unhealthy ingredients and portion sizes, and educate consumers on healthy eating.

Mr Nuttall, UKIP Deputy Leader, has described the plans, which could be brought in as early as July, as “ludicrous.”

“A jammy dodger is a jammy dodger. We all know that smoking, eating too much fatty food and drinking too much alcohol is bad for us.

"But it should be up to us to decide what we should or shouldn’t cut back on, not the Government. This is underhand, it is the Government interfering. Packet sizes will shrink but prices won’t and consumers will pay more,” said Mr Nuttall, North West MEP.

“If someone wants to eat a certain amount of something they will do so, and shrinking the portion size means they will just eat more of it. Making biscuits smaller is a crumby idea,” he added.

Ministers have suggested that if companies fail to sign up to the Responsibility Deal voluntarily the government could legislate to force them to act.