Nestle gives children little choice in fuel UK

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 27 Jul 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Food manufacturers are well aware that there's money to be made in our national institutions, where 'choice' is the current buzzword. Using hospitals and schools as outlets, they offer a choice of brands, but rarely a choice of eating healthily.

In a recent Times Educational Supplement, a Nestle full-page ad described how the company is 'helping education caterers encourage pupils to have a balanced lifestyle' - through the provision in schools of 'Refuel:Pods' otherwise known as vending machines. The Pod's message is 'Energy in - energy out', a favourite mantra of the food industry to defend their swamping of the market with high-energy snacks.

Joe Walsh, Nestle's marketing director of food services claims, 'Refuel:Pod can play an important role, explaining the importance of a balanced diet.' But the list of products to be available in the Pod doesn't make for healthy reading. Every single savoury product is high in salt (great for inducing thirst and bringing kids back to the Pod to spend more money on a drink) including over 6% salt in their Oriental Barbecue Spudz.

Other products available in the Pods are high in sugar, with many products also being high in fat, including Aero chunky, Nestle Double Cream, Polos, Kit Kat Chunky and Toffee Crisp. Even their breakfast bars are high in added sugar.

Of the 46 listed products to be available in the Pods, no more than seven (just 15%) could be deemed to be relatively healthy (dried fruits, fruit juices and sugar-free Polos).

Nestle claim to offer, 'products with varying energy content to suit the needs of different children', but faced with a vending machine full of crisps and sweets, are kids really going to seek out the handful of healthier snacks on offer?

This article is taken from the latest Food Magazine. The Food Magazine reports on children's food and drink and other food issues in the UK. An annual subscription costs £22.50 (individuals/non-profit) or £46.00 (corporate). Published every three months. Click here to subscribe.

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