Supersized chocolate bars and sweet bags are banned from British hospitals

Supersized chocolate bars and “grab bags” of confectionery are to be banned for sale in British hospitals as the National Health Service ratchets up its fight against obesity.

Simon Stevens, the NHS chief executive, has warned that obesity will bankrupt the health service and has stated his determination to do what he can on hospital premises.

Shops inside hospitals have notoriously stocked sugary drinks, confectionery and unhealthy snacks in the past, which have been bought not only by patients and their visitors but also by NHS staff. Nearly 700,000 of the NHS’s 1.3 million staff are estimated to be overweight or obese.

Stevens has instructed all hospitals not to allow any confectionery on the shelves that contains more than 250 calories. Most regular chocolate bars are below 250 calories, but the supersized varieties contain more.

Also out are “grab bags”, which are theoretically to share or save – they may be labelled as containing several portions. Stevens’ edict will force hospitals to ban them because the contents, which could be consumed by one person in one go, contain far more than 250 calories.