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Nick Ferrari questions government's mixed messages over obesity plan

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By Adrian Sherling

The government is launching a plan to cut obesity in the UK. So Nick Ferrari asked the Care Minister why they are paying for people to have half-price meals at McDonald's and Burger King?

The Prime Minister is due to announce plans to ban unhealthy snacks from being displayed at shop checkouts as one of the measures to be included in the new obesity strategy.

Restaurants will also have to display the calories contained in food on their menus.

But Nick queried why the government are trying to tackle obesity on one hand and giving half-price meals at fast-food restaurants with the other.

Nick Ferrari asked Helen Whately why the government are paying for half-price fast food
Nick Ferrari asked Helen Whately why the government are paying for half-price fast food. Picture: LBC

On Rishi Sunak's Eat Out To Help Out programme, Nick asked: "Why is he discounting meals and Burger King, McDonald's, Frankie & Benny's and Nando's?

"You can't have it both ways, Minister. On the one hand, you're offering cheap McDonald's and Burger Kings.

"And at the next moment, you're telling people they have to lose weight. You can't do both."

But Ms Whately insisted: "What we're saying to those restaurants that you've mentioned is that they need to put the calories for the different meals on the menus so that when you eat out you can make an informed choice.

"That will mean you have choose what you have and you have the information there to choose a lower-calorie option."

Watch the interview at the top of the page.