The sugar industry has become all too powerful.

The confectionery companies are resisting even modest attempts to reduce our sugar intake.

The sugar industry does not think it will hit the Government’s target to cut sugar by a fifth by 2020. This voluntary scheme had asked large confectionery companies to reduce sugars in their products by 20% per 100g however the Food and Drinks Association said yesterday that it is very unlikely they will reach the first year target for 2017.

There is nothing surprising about this. Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas, and Mars and Nestle certainly didn’t vote for the sugar tax. What is abundantly clear is that the giant confectionery companies do not want to be a part of the solution to the rise in obesity and diabetes that they have contributed to.

The current sugar crisis is the consequence of bad science combined with poor Government incentives. The flawed scientific research that first prompted the move away from fats has created a nation addicted to sugar. Only now are we discovering just how addictive these processed sugars really are. A recent study shows that when rats in a lab were given the choice between sugar water and cocaine, they chose sugar water. This is scary stuff and explains why I strongly supported the campaign to introduce a sugar tax in back in 2016.

At Farmdrop, we do not believe that the main power bases are serious about creating workable solutions to Britain’s obesity crisis. The policy framework over the last 40 years has encouraged consumers to put money into the hands of large corporations. These companies have become so powerful that they can now frustrate Government-led initiatives designed to create a healthier nation.

It’s time to break the control of the big corporations and that applies as much to the giant confectionery companies as it does the supermarkets.