The Liberal Democrats have pledged to hold a second EU referendum, pass a Zero Waste Act and place a 5p charge on disposable coffee cups.
The party’s 2017 manifesto, launched this week, also includes a “national food strategy to promote the production and consumption of healthy sustainable and affordable food”.
Amongst the other proposals is a new strategy to tackle childhood obesity, including restrictions on the marketing of junk food to children and a 9pm watershed for TV adverts. Targets to cut sugar in food and drink would also become mandatory (the Conservative government’s targets are voluntary).
Labour has promised to “make Britain’s children the healthiest in the world”, committing in its manifesto to publish a new childhood obesity strategy “within the first 100 days”, with proposals on food labelling and advertising. Like the Lib Dems, Labour wants a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm.
Under a Liberal Democrat government, more restaurants and takeaways would also be encouraged to present nutritional information. A minimum unit price for alcohol would also be introduced (subject to the ongoing legal challenge to the policy in Scotland), whilst the free school meals scheme will be extended to all children in primary education.
The Lib Dems also promised to ensure that any future trade deals require high safety, environmental and animal welfare standards for food imports, including clear and unambiguous country of origin labelling for meat and dairy products.
