Nestle joins obesity battle by rewarding families buying Kit Kats, Smarties

London, Oct 14 (ANI): Food firm Nestle has joined a Government campaign to combat obesity by linking the official Change4Life logo on a website that has products carrying tokens offering points towards free activities.

Nestle linked the logo to its own Get Set, Go Free promotion, designed to boost sales of confectionary and sugary breakfast cereals, with the tokens meant for free activities, from swimming to bowling or horse riding lesson.

But a family of four would need to buy 60 Kit Kats, packs of Smarties or Milky Bars to qualify for a session such as canoeing, the Daily Mail reported.

The Health Department admitted Nestle should not have been given permission to use the Change4Life logo on its website, saying "an error" had been made.

One of the key messages of the Change4Life campaign, set up by the last Government, is to encourage consumers to swap sugary foods for those low in sugar or sugar free.

The Children's Food Campaign found 24 out of 27 products in the Nestle promotion are categorised as "high in sugar" by the Food Standards Agency.

Tory Health Secretary Andrew Lansley axed the 75 million pounds budget for marketing the Change4Lifecampaign, and asked food firms to get involved.

Children's Food Campaign co-ordinator Christine Haigh said the promotion was "another example of the food industry claiming to promote healthy lifestyles whilst in fact encouraging families to eat more junk food". (ANI)