New research shows universal support, particularly among wealthy individuals, for the government to address the nations’ tobacco, unhealthy food and alcohol consumption.
England. A country where adults will think of any excuse to get a pint, a takeaway or have a cheeky cigarette. Despite these stereotypes dating back decades, our unhealthy habits have encouraged the government to tackle them head on – a pledge that has likewise encouraged new research from The Health Foundation and Ipsos.
Both organisations conducted a survey among 1,686 adults across the country to find out whether they’re pleased the government is looking to promote healthier living and they published their findings yesterday (Monday 7th April). The research was gathered between 21st and 27th November 2024 and included individuals aged 16 and over.
The research, considering our love for all things ill-looking, came as quite a surprise. The majority of respondents (73%) claimed they are in support of extending the indoor smoking ban to outdoor spaces – a plan the government aims to consult on following the Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024-25.
What’s more, even though Keir Starmer has said the outdoor smoking ban won’t apply to the hospitality sector, 49% of the public were found to support the motion compared to the 33% opposing it.
Meanwhile, as a result of the rising obesity crisis, the Labour party have proposed an increased tax cost on foods high in salt or sugar – a pledge 62% of respondents are in favour of. It has also been said that some of the revenue will be used to fund fresh fruit and vegetables for low-income families.
If there’s one thing we as a nation love more than food and smoking, it’s alcohol, which is arguably England’s biggest problem area. Our nation hasn’t seen a national alcohol strategy for over a decade, trailing behind Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, who have all successfully implemented minimum unit pricing – a rule that ensures alcohol can’t be sold at too cheap of a price making it less affordable and tempting to get hold of. With this in mind, the research shows 46% of Brits support the introduction of the limitation.
Against this backdrop, 48% of the public support banning marketing of alcohol products at sporting events with just 23% disagreeing with this policy.
‘The public supports bolder policy approaches to tackle alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy food and without this, the government risks undermining its objectives for improving health, economic growth, and inequality reduction,’ Adam Briggs, senior policy fellow at The Health Foundation said. ‘Alcohol-related deaths in England have surged for five consecutive years, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 40%. Alarmingly, there has been little movement on comprehensive alcohol policies under both Conservative and Labour governments. Current policies targeting junk food marketing and high-caffeine drinks for children are also inadequate. Prevention is foundational to fostering a healthy and thriving UK, so now is the time for bold action.’
And bold action we could get. In July 2023 Ipsos conducted similar research in Scotland about how locals felt about the minimum unit pricing on alcohol, which was just nine months before the Scottish government voted to continue with the guideline.
Adam added that their latest research shows individuals from a number of different backgrounds are in support of tackling unhealthy habits, meaning all that’s left to do is for the government to take concrete action.
He said: ‘Our polling also shows that for some policy areas there is more support for action among people living in less deprived parts of the UK. While support still outweighs opposition in more deprived areas, it shows that alongside implementing bolder policies, the government must engage with a wide range of communities to address both real and perceived harms.’
Photo by Lex Guerra via UnSplash
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