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Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

They hunt in packs

The dogs of the ‘fat war’ are chalking up their first victory:

Confectionery companies have agreed to phase out many king-size chocolate bars as part of the campaign against obesity.

The concession is part of the food and drinks industry’s efforts to persuade the Government that tough new laws on issues such as labelling, advertising to children and school vending machines are unnecessary.

The bitter lessons of appeasement are as valid on the domestic front as they are on the foreign front. This ‘concession’ is merely the first of many, many more.

Like frightened villagers, the chocolate manufacturers have thrown some meat to the ravenous wolves in the hope that their hunger will be satisfied and the wolves will leave them alone.

But the wolves have a bottomless appetite and they will be back for more. Very soon.

16 comments to They hunt in packs

  • Patrick W

    Can they not keep feeding the wolves with outsize chocolate bars and wait until the wolves are to fat to do any damage?

  • Jacob

    Candy manufacturers and ALL other businesses are about making a profit. If feeding the wolves enhances their second quarter results – so be it.
    Fighting ideological wars for freedom is left to the samizdata people and their kin.
    It is not unimaginable that some business owners or executives participate some way or other in the ideological wars too – in their spare time, in a private capacity, apart from the business.

  • Ive just watched a ‘This Morning’ segment on this. Even the usually diet obsesed daytime TV presenters seem to agree stopping production of large choc bars ‘for our own good’ is totally stupid. Now if you excuse me im off to eat the largest slab of sugar I can find and wash it down with poisenesly strong coffee – as im sure that will be next.

  • Pete_London

    They can steal my money under the guise of taxation and tyrannise me with ever more pernicious laws, but if they come after my nuclear strength coffee there’ll be trouble.

  • Next a campaign in favour of half pints to cut down on drinking?

    Supersize at McDonalds is going, King size Mars are about to become history, I’m feeling weak already.

    Lets start a Liberty Brand of food products, with maximum fat, maximum sugar, maximum taste and an ability to piss of those nannys that other brands cannot reach.

  • So now the low-income mother who could have bought one king-size bar and split it between her two children has to buy two regular-sized bars for more money…and more calories.

    The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again…

  • boo

    Could it be that the real reason is the big bars just aren’t selling as well as they used to, and psychologically people feel better buying 10 small bars than 4 big ones, so if you’re going to drop the big bars, why not come up with a fun reason?

  • Simon Jester

    Has this book been mentioned on Samizdata, previously?

  • Tim in PA

    “Is it me, or is it getting hot in here? And why are we in a basket??”

  • MTFO

    Let them eat cake.

  • MTFO

    I just had a vision:

    Candy production has been forced underground…”unemployable” teenage thugs’ huddled around small campstoves, melting chocolate for processing into highly dangerous and unregulated candy bars…little squads of gangsters running around doing clandestine deals for things like sugar, caramel, fruits and nuts…”War on Candy”…high profile candy busts…evidence inexplicably disappearing while the Vice Squads keep getting fatter and fatter…

  • Verity

    I never had any interest in either chocolate or ice cream before. Then I accepted a dish of chocolate ice cream here (MX) just to be polite, intending to let it melt in the dish. I forgot I was in the land of the cocoa bean and whoaaaah! This was chocolate on stilts! This was chocolate ice cream doing cartwheels and showing its frilly knickers. What a rush!

    Those vapid “chocolate” bars that are on sale in the UK and US are pretty dire, but again, the government thinking it has the overweening right to get itself wedged into commercial decisions is worse. The government is populated by deadbeats who have never made a [successful] business decision in their lives.

  • why punish us skinny lovers of large candy bars for the sake of the obese? why? i am six-four, 190 pounds and LOVE snacks.
    i see a future in illegal underground oversized snacks.
    think of prohibion era speakeasies with king sized twinkies.
    stop drooling.

  • Harry

    6’4″ and 190 lbs.? You’re far too fat, according to new government guidelines. At that height you shouldn’t weigh an ounce more than 146 lbs.

  • lindenen

    boo has a point. I think also the maker of Wonder Bread and twinkies has filed for bankruptcy and Krispy Kreme is bleeding money as well.

  • Harry

    Interstate Bakeries (wonder bread, twinkies, etc.) and Krispy Kreme are both suffering quite severely because of the “low carb” diet fad. Krispy Kreme’s stock was overvalued even before the “low carb” crap started, because of very effective stock marketing by Krispy Kreme management.