NHS bosses have told a fish and chip shop it must sell fruit and veg alongside its regular offerings before it can open.
A takeaway establishment in Morfa Bychan, Gwynedd in North Wales has been told it must offer ‘a good selection’ of greens and fruit, as well as reduce the fat, salt and sugar content of its dishes.
The Betsi Cadwaladr health board that the shop’s proximity to popular destination Black Rock Sands beach could put tourists at risk as well as expose locals to the unhealthy food all-year round.
It said that the availability of fast-food outlets was a contributing factor to ‘increased weight status in the general population’ as well as obesity and poor diet of children in low-income areas.
A fish and chip shop in Wales has been told to offer fruit and vegetables by a health board
Health bosses have said the proposed takeaway establishment should offer ‘a good selection’ of healthy items and should reduce the amount of fat, salt and sugar in its dishes
The takeaway should also provide customers with ‘access to free tap water’ or ensure free water bottle refills to promote healthy wellbeing, health bosses added.
Plans for the fish and chip shop have also attracted separate objection from Porthmadog Council over concerns with traffic and parking, as well as the proposed new business being an overdevelopment with a similar establishment already operating nearby.
Citing five other fast food joints within a mile of the proposed shop, the health board said in a statement in response to the planning application: ‘The location of this site is not appropriate for this application due to the proliferation/concentration of existing hot food takeaways/restaurants selling predominantly food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar.’
It said that 60 per cent of adults in Wales were living with obesity or overweight, as well as 25.7 per cent of children aged 4 to 5.
But it added: ‘Whilst we have outlined concerns in our response there are small changes and nudges that could be made to the menu that would encourage and provide healthier food and drink options.
The Betsi Cadwaladr health board said that offering more greens would help the new business to ‘safely contribute to economic prosperity in the area’
‘These healthier options would enable the proposed development to safely contribute to economic prosperity in the area, which independently helps to improve population health.’
The intervention comes amid several measures taken by the Welsh government to tackle obesity.
In July it announced that restaurants could be banned from offering customers free refills of fizzy or sugary drinks.
Supermarkets could be restricted from offering buy-one-get-one-free promotions on some products and could be required to relocate high-fat items away from entrances and checkouts, as well as website homepages.
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