72% back healthier food promotions even if unhealthy offers fall

Nearly three quarters of respondents to a Public Health Wales survey support prioritising healthier food and drink in advertising and special offers, even if that means fewer promotions for unhealthy choices. The figure was 72%, with 18% indifferent and 8% opposed. The findings, published by the public health body on 15 October, cover the choices people encounter in everyday settings, including places serving food away from home.

What respondents were asked

A broader question about making healthier food and drink the usual focus of advertising, special offers and price promotions drew 77% support. When the question explicitly included fewer unhealthy promotions, support was five percentage points lower, at 72%. Those are two versions of a question in the same survey. They do not show that public opinion has fallen over time. Public Health Wales describes the aim as making healthier choices easier to find, buy and choose.

Public places and clear information

Overall, 81% supported healthier food and drink as the default in publicly funded places. Support exceeded 90% for schools, childcare settings and hospitals, and 80% for other healthcare settings and leisure centres, sports facilities and swimming pools. The examples given by Public Health Wales include offering options lower in calories, fat, sugar and salt, healthier portion sizes and non-sugary drinks as the standard choice with meals.

For food prepared outside the home, 70% thought nutritional information should always be available, compared with 24% who wanted it available on request. The equivalent figures for drinks were 66% and 27%. That separates two practical issues for people buying a meal: what is offered first, and whether they can check the nutritional information before choosing.

What the survey can tell us

The findings come from Time to Talk Public Health, a national panel of people aged 16 and over living in Wales. Public Health Wales says the panel is broadly representative by age, sex, deprivation, ethnicity and health board. This is evidence about stated preferences. It does not establish that menus or buying habits have changed, measure the health effect of a particular promotion, or announce a new requirement for shops, cafés or public bodies.