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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
James Rodger & Rachel Pugh

Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Lidl shoppers warned over £160 'obesity charge'

Supermarket shoppers have been warned they could see themselves paying £160 each year.

The extra cost comes because of government eco and anti obesity schemes.

This comes after the British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets such as Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, warned of rises in autumn due to pressure from high food, shipping, and commodity costs.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) told The Sun: “The Government needs to understand the costs of the changes it is demanding and the impact it would have on the cost of household food and drink shopping.

“The suggestion that we should introduce further food taxes at this time is madness.”

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Ian Wright, boss of the FDF, said: “Food and drink manufacturers are close to breaking point.

“Through the last 16 months our workers have made truly heroic efforts to keep the country fed.

“Yet now they face a combination of challenges which threaten to deliver food price inflation to already hard-pressed households.”

Last week, the FDF reacted with anger to the National Food Strategy calls for the introduction of the world's first Sugar and Salt Reformulation Tax, reports Birmingham Live.

Food and Drink Federation chief scientific officer Kate Halliwell said: "These taxes will not drive reformulation. Food and drink manufacturers have been voluntarily lowering fat, salt and sugars in recipes for decades as well as reducing portion size, but it takes time to change much-loved products.

"Furthermore, the Government's proposed advertising ban and promotions restrictions would limit the ways in which companies can let families know about exciting new options.

"It is hard to view the proposals that the taxes raised will pay for additional health plans, with anything but scepticism. The same promise was made ahead of the introduction of the soft drinks industry levy, but was quietly dropped shortly afterwards."

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