The government is being harried because it has delayed plans to outlaw advertising BOGOFs on junk food to reduce obesity in young people.
But hang on. Who buys these things - the young or parents?
I can't think of the last time I saw buy a single bag of crisps or a chocolate bar and get one free - these 'deals' are always 'family pack' deals or meal deals - sandwich, pop / drink sweets. They are not driven by advertising or BOGOFs - parents and individuals are to blame for buying them. It's not the kids buying them, it's us.
The big problem is not BOGOF or advertising, it's availability. The deals and snacks are available everywhere, every day. Supermarkets have aisles dedicated to them, the local convenience store has virtually nothing else: pubs, kiosks, petrol stations, museums... you name them. They are there 24/7 and everywhere,
Face it, we, not government, are addicted to crap.
Cutting down the outlets would work better, but we will never do that, will we? Economics!
And please stop calling these things "food", they are not.