An MP has demanded the Prime Minister drop any plans to scrap Buy One Get One Free offers - branding the idea ‘utterly bonkers.
Shipley MP Philip Davies said dropping the BOGOF offers was a ridiculous idea at any time but even more so in a cost of living crisis.
Government plans to scrap offers on what is deemed unhealthy foods is currently on hold – but Mr Davies wants the controversial policy scrapped completely.
Speaking in Prime Ministers Question time Mr Davies said: “One of the socialist landmines that the Prime Minister has inherited from the former Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) is the banning of “buy one, get one free” and other special offers on products that the Department of Health and Social Care thought were unhealthy.
“At the best of times that is an idiotic triumph of the nanny state, but during a cost of living crisis it is utterly bonkers. Will the Prime Minister intervene, pursue a more Conservative agenda, and scrap this ridiculous policy?”
PM Rishi Sunak acknowledged Mr Davies’ work on the issue and added: “As he knows, after I took office, given the concerns that he and others had raised about the impact on the cost of living of this policy, we postponed its introduction. No final decisions have been made, but I will continue to take what he says very seriously in all our deliberations.”
Mr Davies said he will continue to oppose the policy and make this point to ministers. The move was part of plans to tackle childhood obesity.
Mr Davies added: “People have a right to choose what they want to buy and should not be dictated to. It was a ludicrous idea at the time and I made my thoughts on the matter very clear and will keep doing so. It was a wrong policy decision in 2020 and even more so now given the cost of living crisis.
“People need to be able to make their own choices regarding which foods they buy and that includes the option of taking advantage of BOGOF or any other offers that may be available. It is not for Government to lecture them or make the decision for them.”