Bittersweet reactions to Latvian ban on junk food in schools

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Wednesday November 1, 2006

Riga- Latvian schoolchildren gave a bittersweet assortment of reactions on Wednesday as a nationwide ban on the sale of unhealthy food in schools came into effect. "It's good (that they brought in this law). If they don't sell sweets in school it's healthier and you don't ruin your teeth," ten- year-old Lera, a pupil at Riga's number 13 middle school, said.

"It'll be a bad thing if they ban the sale of sweets in schools.

Everyone is categorically against it," 17-year-old Katja, of secondary school number 9 in the town of Daugavpils, replied.

As of Wednesday, according to amendments to Latvia's law on hygiene in schools, the sale of food and drinks containing artificial colouring agents, sweeteners, preservatives, amino-acids and caffeine is forbidden in all Latvian state schools.

The ban - which also includes foods with a high salt content - means that school-break staples such as Coca-Cola, salted peanuts and crisps will no longer be on the menu.

In their place, the Ministry of Health has recommended the sale of dried fruits, unsalted nuts, fruit juices and yoghurt drinks - products which have not hitherto featured largely in most schools' tuck-shops.

"The canteen sold frozen drinks and sweets today. There were not a lot of fruit or nuts," Katja said.

And despite the Health Ministry's argument that the ban will improve pupils' health and dietary awareness, it has not been to everyone's taste.

"They gave us (sweets) today for the last time: there won't be any in school tomorrow. I'd like them to be there," eight-year-old Sasha, also a pupil at Riga school number 13, said dolefully.

But with sweets and crisps still on sale in a wide range of shops and kiosks outside schools, the ban seems unlikely to have a major impact on school-children's eating habits.

"Today, we couldn't buy crisps in school, but people who wanted to eat them went to the local shop. It's two or three minutes' walk from school - they go their at break time," Katja said.

"This law is not very good for my school budget, because if school doesn't have sweets, people go to the shop. So school doesn't earn a lot of money," she added.

For all the health ministry's good intentions, it seems unlikely that Latvia's schoolchildren will all choose the healthy option when it comes to the crunch.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency