Action on Salt and Action on Sugar has today responded to the 2020 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). This review will set UK Government departments’ resource budgets for the years 2021/22 to 2023/24 and capital budgets for the years 2021/22 until 2024/25. 

Our recommendations included:

• Shortening the review period to one year instead of three years
• Ensuring adequate funding for government departments involved in obesity prevention policies given the recognised link between obesity and COVID-19.
• Public Health England replacement – a new, independent and well-funded organisation should be established to oversee all health protection, health improvement and prevention functions that currently sit with PHE

• Fiscal Measures

• The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) should be extended, with levy rates escalated to maintain momentum and raise revenue
• An energy density levy should be implemented to cover all calorie-dense processed food
• A levy should be implemented to cover all food categories which have failed to make significant progress for the salt reduction targets will ensure these are met especially food categories which still contribute large amounts of salt to our diet
• All revenue raised from levies must be ringfenced for children’s health improvement