High fat meal deals should be restricted for the sake of “our children’s health”, a journalist has said. 

The Welsh Government has recently announced plans to restrict meal deals with high levels of sugar, fat or salt.

The legislation will be introduced next year and take effect in 2025. 

Irish Independent columnist Mary McCarthy said she understood why meal deals are popular but argued it is time for change. 

“It’s really hard to resist all these sugary and salty [treats],” she told The Hard Shoulder. 

“These foods are everywhere and it’s hard to resist a bargain.” 

In 2018, the Irish Government introduced a sugar tax and Ms McCarthy believes this is an example of a public health measure that successfully changed people’s diets. 

“They made soft drinks more expensive,” she said. 

“The Department of Health are examining that and they’re going to have a report on that to see how did that work. 

“But so far, manufacturers have had to reduce their sugar.” 

'It’s not a meal'

Some meal deals give the customer the option of buying a fruit drink - but many people buy a fizzy drink instead and it is this that Ms McCarthy has an issue with. 

“I went into Tesco today and you get a ham and cheese sambo, that’s grand,” she said. 

“But like, a packet of crisps and a fizzy drink - that is not a meal. 

“It shouldn’t be a meal deal. It’s not a meal. 

“It really makes me angry because it’s right beside my kids’ school; they’re all in there [and] this is what they’re buying. 

“I really feel [we should] stop putting profit before our children’s health.” 

Ms McCarthy said the Irish Government should follow Wales’ example and bring in restrictions on meal deals. 

“We should look to Wales and go, ‘Great,’” she said.  

“The sad thing is England was supposed to bring in similar legislation and they actually, a few weeks ago, said they were going to delay that by a year because of the cost of living.”

Ms McCarthy admits reducing access to cheap food is a difficult argument to make in a cost of living crisis but thinks overall it would make a positive difference.

“Essentially, we need to make big changes and I think it’s a positive,” she said. 

Main image: Shelves with sandwiches.