Civitas Blog

Chocolate bar manufacturers in the UK are doing away with so called ‘king-size’ bars, ostensibly to do their part for the war against obesity and, no doubt, to reduce the pressure from health and safety groups clamouring for further regulation. Super-size Snickers and Twix bars may be a thing of the past as early as next year.

The industry’s Food and Drink Federation deputy director general Martin Patterson defended the move, claiming that the companies have to do their part and encourage people to eat less junk. (I was under the impression the company was doing its part by making great snacks and creating wealth for its shareholders, but perhaps I simply don’t have enough compassion for my nougat-addicted countrymen.)

Eliminating these bars isn’t enough for Sustain, the food and farming group pushing for tougher regulations regarding snack foods: ‘[This move] is half-hearted, and the industry won't be able to claim it is behaving in a responsible way until it stops its aggressive advertising of unhealthy foods to children.’

Thank goodness Sustain can save all these sugar-crazed youngsters; it must take enormous pressure off parents to actually do their jobs.