The great British meal deal is set to be banned in Wales this evening when Labour votes through legislation restricting the sale of unhealthy food.
The immensely popular lunch option sold by almost every UK supermarket has been described as a ‘lifeline’ by people struggling with Britain’s spiralling cost of living crisis.
For as little as £3.60, Brits can get a main (like a sandwich, wrap or salad bowl), a snack (like crisps, boiled eggs or fruit) and a drink (like a smoothie, fizzy drink or protein drink).
But in Labour-run Wales, the government looks set to crackdown on the cost saving mechanism to tackle Wales’ health problem.
Welsh Labour’s ‘Food Promotion and Presentation Regulations 2025’ bill, which will ‘restrict the promotion by location and volume price of high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) products in Wales,’ is expected to pass in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) this evening.
This will effectively ban meal deals as we know them because the legislation targets ‘multi-buy offers’ and ‘volume promotions.’
Page 15 of the ‘Explanatory Memorandum to the Food (Promotion and Presentation) 2025’ bill examples are listed of promotions the legislation would affect.
This includes, ‘Combination offers - where a discount is given when individuals purchase a specified combination of products, as is the case in meal deals for example.’
The restrictions will apply to medium and large retailers (with 50 or more employees), including franchise and symbol group stores, selling food and drink in Wales.
Food businesses in the out of home sector (restaurants, cafes, pubs etc) will not need to comply with promotion restrictions by location and volume price.
However, as is also the case for supermarkets, these locations will be subject to the restrictions on free refill promotions.
It will also restrict retailers from placing ‘unhealthy’ products at shop entrances and prime aisle locations.
Welsh Labour is introducing the legislation to tackle Wales’ obesity problem, but the Welsh Conservatives say it is the nanny state in action and the proposals will hit the poorest in society.
Commenting, James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care said: “Labour’s proposals are nanny state nonsense that will hit the poorest people in their pockets.
“Keir Starmer promised to ease the cost of living and hasn’t, with Welsh Labour following suit here by pushing up costs for working people.”
LATEST FROM MEMBERSHIP:
The opposition party also argued the government should be promoting sport instead of cracking down on meal deals.
“Welsh Conservatives believe in personal responsibility,” explained Evans.
“Efforts to tackle obesity must be focussed on providing support for grassroots sports clubs, increase the amount of sport played in schools, and encouraging more people to get active – not forcibly pushing up the price of the weekly shop.”
The Welsh Conservatives also pointed to UK Department of Health and Social Care research which found that a retailer is likely to see sales revenue reduce by 0.59 per cent due to restrictions like these.
The analysis suggested this would result in a near £11 million estimated total loss in profits for businesses across the regulations’ appraisal period.
While only affecting Welsh meal deal consumers, the UK government has form in copying some measures enacted in Wales.
The 5p plastic bag charge was first introduced in Wales in 2011 for example, soon followed by England in 2015 where it is now 10p.
Those measures came in when the Conservatives were in power. With a Labour government in Cardiff and Westminster, it is all the more likely Starmer’s administration will look to emulate Welsh policy if it is deemed successful in Labour circles.
According to market research agency Kantar, Britain spent £6.2 billion on meal deals in 2024, nearly double 2022’s figure.
Kantar also found the average UK consumer ate more than 73 meal deals last year.
The meal deal concept was first launched by Boots in October 1999, priced at £2.50 (£5.47 in today’s money).
Tesco, who sell more meal deals than any other UK supermarkets, caused bedlam when they raised the price of their meal deal from £3 to £3.60 (with a Clubcard) in August 2024.
Welsh Labour has been approached for comment.
Find Out More...
The immensely popular lunch option sold by almost every UK supermarket has been described as a ‘lifeline’ by people struggling with Britain’s spiralling cost of living crisis.
For as little as £3.60, Brits can get a main (like a sandwich, wrap or salad bowl), a snack (like crisps, boiled eggs or fruit) and a drink (like a smoothie, fizzy drink or protein drink).
But in Labour-run Wales, the government looks set to crackdown on the cost saving mechanism to tackle Wales’ health problem.
Welsh Labour’s ‘Food Promotion and Presentation Regulations 2025’ bill, which will ‘restrict the promotion by location and volume price of high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) products in Wales,’ is expected to pass in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) this evening.
This will effectively ban meal deals as we know them because the legislation targets ‘multi-buy offers’ and ‘volume promotions.’
Page 15 of the ‘Explanatory Memorandum to the Food (Promotion and Presentation) 2025’ bill examples are listed of promotions the legislation would affect.
This includes, ‘Combination offers - where a discount is given when individuals purchase a specified combination of products, as is the case in meal deals for example.’
The restrictions will apply to medium and large retailers (with 50 or more employees), including franchise and symbol group stores, selling food and drink in Wales.
Food businesses in the out of home sector (restaurants, cafes, pubs etc) will not need to comply with promotion restrictions by location and volume price.
However, as is also the case for supermarkets, these locations will be subject to the restrictions on free refill promotions.
It will also restrict retailers from placing ‘unhealthy’ products at shop entrances and prime aisle locations.
Welsh Labour is introducing the legislation to tackle Wales’ obesity problem, but the Welsh Conservatives say it is the nanny state in action and the proposals will hit the poorest in society.
Commenting, James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care said: “Labour’s proposals are nanny state nonsense that will hit the poorest people in their pockets.
“Keir Starmer promised to ease the cost of living and hasn’t, with Welsh Labour following suit here by pushing up costs for working people.”
LATEST FROM MEMBERSHIP:
- Donald Trump could torpedo Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement in one week as hell looms for Chancellor
- President Trump wants an end to the bloodshed, he is no Putin sympathiser - Greg Swenson
- UK's migration trap EXPOSED: Halal butchers and kebab shops issuing hundreds of skilled worker visas
The opposition party also argued the government should be promoting sport instead of cracking down on meal deals.
“Welsh Conservatives believe in personal responsibility,” explained Evans.
“Efforts to tackle obesity must be focussed on providing support for grassroots sports clubs, increase the amount of sport played in schools, and encouraging more people to get active – not forcibly pushing up the price of the weekly shop.”
The Welsh Conservatives also pointed to UK Department of Health and Social Care research which found that a retailer is likely to see sales revenue reduce by 0.59 per cent due to restrictions like these.
The analysis suggested this would result in a near £11 million estimated total loss in profits for businesses across the regulations’ appraisal period.
While only affecting Welsh meal deal consumers, the UK government has form in copying some measures enacted in Wales.
The 5p plastic bag charge was first introduced in Wales in 2011 for example, soon followed by England in 2015 where it is now 10p.
Those measures came in when the Conservatives were in power. With a Labour government in Cardiff and Westminster, it is all the more likely Starmer’s administration will look to emulate Welsh policy if it is deemed successful in Labour circles.
According to market research agency Kantar, Britain spent £6.2 billion on meal deals in 2024, nearly double 2022’s figure.
Kantar also found the average UK consumer ate more than 73 meal deals last year.
The meal deal concept was first launched by Boots in October 1999, priced at £2.50 (£5.47 in today’s money).
Tesco, who sell more meal deals than any other UK supermarkets, caused bedlam when they raised the price of their meal deal from £3 to £3.60 (with a Clubcard) in August 2024.
Welsh Labour has been approached for comment.
Find Out More...