Supermarkets to help Britain cut the calories

SUPERMARKETS will be required to take action to cut the calorie count of your shopping basket in a drive to tackle Britain's obesity epidemic.

- By David Williamson CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR

Obesity will be halved if overweight Britons cut their daily calorie intake by 216 calories — the equivalent of a single bottle of fizzy drink — a day, experts believe.

It is claimed cutting just 50 calories out of daily diets “could lift 340,000 children and two million adults out of obesity”.

The plans to introduce a new “health food standard” have been welcomed by super market giants Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

Previously retailers feared losing sales to their rivals if they promoted healthy foods.

The initiative is intended to level the playing field, with shops required to hit targets.