Category: Nutrition and public health

How the UK VAT system identifies vested interests costing us and the earth

Few realise the UK VAT system can precisely identify, at the point of sale, the major powerful global interests skewing our food system. Here’s how it is:

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TED-Ed: How sugar affects your brain

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Our response to the draft London Food Strategy

Our response to the draft London Food Strategy was submitted today, and can be found on our website here.

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For every £1 spent on food & drink in Birmingham, it costs the city £0.90

Few realise just how much the dietary effects of the food and drink sector cost us here in Birmingham, as in every city across the UK.

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Five levers on our food system

Birmingham spends some £3.4bn every year on food and drink, yet the cost of obesity to the city has been estimated to be £2.6bn, with a further £448M being spent here on dealing with alcohol related harm.

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Birmingham as a ‘laboratory’: Changing diets, changing landscapes

How are we going to feed the world’s growing population? This is a really hard problem, taxing the brains of leading scientists as well as governments and the likes of the United Nations.

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Avoid VAT-rated food products — save money, pay less tax and be healthy!

If the average person spends 30% less on their household food bill, they’ll save money — and pay less tax, be a lot healthier and contribute to global food security.

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Spuds or crisps? Which is better for you, & better for global food security?

At the recent Local Nexus Network meeting at Birmingham Business School, I listened to a fascinating talk by Mark Pettigrew who is an expert on growing spuds.

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Local approaches to childhood obesity

Local Authorities are employing varied and innovative approaches to tackle childhood obesity. Some of these are outlined in a new report by the Local Government Association, Healthy Weight, Healthy Futures.

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Sugar tax?

The notion of a sugar tax has undoubtedly had impact. But how feasible is such a tax, and what effect would it have? Lawyer Jessica Burt recently wrote a Guardian article A sugar tax won’t work. And here’s why. Following on...

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