The proposals, which are currently the subject of a consultation, would prohibit hospitality businesses across the country from offering free refills of ‘sugar-sweetened’ beverages.
Free drink refills are commonplace in numerous QSR, fast casual and casual dining restaurants including Nando’s, Five Guys, Pizza Hut and Popeyes. However, in most cases the majority of drinks offered are sugar free, which would not be affected by the proposed ban.
Eluned Morgan, Wales’s Health Secretary, said the proposed measures would ‘support the public to live healthier lives’.
“Over 60% of the population is living with obesity or overweight,” she said.
“We know that obesity and being overweight is associated with many physical and mental health problems across our life course.
“I intend for this to be the first in a package of measures to improve the health of our food environments across Wales and to support the public to live healthier lives. As a nation, the food choices we are led to make contain too many calories and are too high in fat, sugar and salt.
“We want to support individuals to make healthier choices by restricting the promotion of these types of foods and by encouraging the promotion of healthier products.”
Other proposals include preventing retailers from offering promotions including buy-one-get-one-free and three-for-two offers on unhealthy food products; and barring retailers from placing high fat, sugar and salt food products in certain locations in stores, including entrances, end of aisles and checkout or queueing areas.
According to the consultation, it is intended that the draft regulations will be laid before the Senedd later this year and, subject to approval, be followed by a 12-month transition period before they come into force by the end of 2025.
Business that fail to comply with the legislation could face a criminal penalty under the Food Safety Act and a fine of £2,500. Enforcement would be down to local councils.
Responses to the consultation must be submitted by 23 September 2024. For more information on how to respond, click here.