9 Out Of 10 Academies Sell Banned Junk Food

A new study by the School Food Trust (SFT) has revealed that foods that were banned to protect childrens health, such as crisps, chocolate and cereal bars, are still being sold in 9 out of 10 academies.

The findings contradict education secretary Michael Gove's claim that the academies he champions are following the high nutritional standards introduced in 2008-09 after chef Jamie Oliver exposed how unhealthy many school lunches were.

The research shows 89 out of 100 academies were selling at least one of the snack foods high in sugar, salt or fat that were outlawed by Labour to rid schools of products that were bad for children and damaging their concentration.

According to the SFT the academies are making between £3,000 and £15,000 a year from the sale of the junk foods.

Of the 100 academies 31 were selling one type of banned fattening food, 33 were selling two and 15 were selling three. A total of 82 academies sold sweetened fruit juices, which often contain only a small amount of actual fruit juice and would therefore be banned in maintained schools; the national school food standards stipulate such products must contain at least 50% fruit juice before they can be offered.

Similarly, 54 sold cereal bars, which usually comprise 20%-40% sugar, 26 sold crisps and savoury snacks and 16 sold confectionery and chocolate. However, just six sold fizzy drinks such as Coca-Cola and Sprite and just two offered energy drinks such as Lucozade and Red Bull.

Following Jamie Oliver’s 2005 channel 5 series, Jamie's School Dinners, the last Labour government established tough new standards and ordered the handful of academies it created to follow the tough standards.

When the coalition took power in 2010 Gove however said neither they nor free schools had to stick to the restrictions and that he trusted the schools to provide nutritious food.

The new report contradicts Gove’s claim that there was no evidence that any academies were not following the standards. Gove wrote to Oliver last year saying he "would like to reassure" him that the government had "no reason to believe the academies will not provide healthy, balanced meals that meet the current nutritional standards". He went on: "As part of the broader freedoms available to academies I trust the professionals to act in the best interests of their pupils."

Addressing MPs on the education select committee last month he said he doubted there was any proof of noncompliance with the standards by academies.

"All the evidence seems to me to point in the other direction: that schools that have academy freedoms have improved the quality of food they offered children", Gove added.

But the revelation of such widespread noncompliance by academies has led to fresh calls for Gove to withdraw their exemption and ensure the standards apply in all schools.

(H)