McDonald's and PepsiCo to help write UK health policy

"The Department of Health is putting the fast food companies McDonald's and KFC and processed food and drink manufacturers such as PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Unilever, Mars and Diageo at the heart of writing government policy on obesity, alcohol and diet-related disease, the Guardian has learned.

In an overhaul of public health, said by campaign groups to be the equivalent of handing smoking policy over to the tobacco industry, health secretary Andrew Lansley has set up five "responsibility deal" networks with business, co-chaired by ministers, to come up with policies. Some of these are expected to be used in the public health white paper due in the next month..."

This seems beyond strange to me.  It is not that private companies that sell "bad" food are involved in coming up with government policy, as everyone is remarking on in the comments. It's the idea people have any desire, use or tolerance of anyone having anything to say over what they put in their mouth.

I guess some people don't think they can make their own mouth decisions? How can this be?

I don't know.

I don't know why people are so into giving up their autonomy/power to the gov't or others.

hmmm?

corporatocracy

Well, attitudes to government control of these things is very different over here. The government provides free healthcare for all (The National Health Service) so I guess this is why these sorts of initiatives are accepted. Our taxes go into paying for the NHS and why should we pay for people who deliberately choose to make themselves ill by smoking, eating crap etc? Many of the most obese, ill, and unhealthy people feel it is their right not only to live this way, but to have the government and the taxpayer pick up the tab for their irresponsibility. And believe me, the NHS costs the country an absolute fortune each year.

Hahahahaha!  I'm surprised McDonald's would even know how to spell health or healthy, or know the definition for that matter.  Bollocks!

Wow the corporations being in charge of a goverments policy WTF!!!

Opal is right about the thinking behind the initiative over here: health is a public issue; but it won't work of course - all these companies want to do is to swell their profits, and if keeping the Govt onside is a price they have to pay they will do so. The Govt in its turn is trying to coerce these companies to 'voluntarily' improve their product, contribute to mitigating the effects of them, or something. But they are international, so it's a waste of time - they'd be better off banning them (not that I'm suggesting that!)

They should know by now that any attempts to order what people eat and drink are a subject for comedy - like the 'five a day' fruit and veg campaign. It's amazing how self-important pomposity blinds people to realiities  

Similar things have been going on in the U.S. for a few years too. One of the biggies is mulit-national soda companies like Coke and Pepsi competing to have their sugar water exclusively available in public schools here.

I sure don't have McDonald's or Pepsi making health policies for me or anyone else.

i guess it's called..., "engaging the experts" ;-)

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it's been going on in Germany since many years. "experts" from corporations are lend to gov ministerial committees to "help" with "real world" experience. & they're involved with drafting legislation. ;-)

Nice.. not..

This is Idiocracy (the movie). It's happening...

Corporations who push dehydrated burgers and 100 percent sugar drinks are writing a health policy?  Is the apocalypse tomorrow?

lot of some people in the UK are very picky, they have everything labeled more than any other contry I've ever seen. Plus many vegetarians, vegans and strong sense of organic food.

& also, the opposite.

seems like problems coming.