Health and Hospitality: When Does Food Stop Being Food? (Thomasina Miers)

The UK is one of the world’s largest consumers of ultra-processed foods, so Wahaca restaurants founder Thomasina Miers thinks the government should cut the taxes of businesses that serve healthy alternatives.

In fact, she challenges the idea that ultra‑processed products should be called ‘food’ at all.

From social canteens that teach people to cook simple meals to zero percent business rates for greengrocers, the MasterChef winner tells Amol how she would reform Britain’s food system.

And she warns that the hospitality sector is facing a “bloodbath” after Chancellor Rachel Reeves increased employer national insurance contributions.

A government spokesperson said: “We're backing hospitality with a £4.3bn support package to limit business rate bill rises, alongside capping Corporation Tax at 25%, cutting red tape and investing £1.5 billion to create 50,000 more apprentices and foundation apprenticeships.”

“The fair and necessary decisions we made at this Budget and the last mean we can deliver on the country’s priorities – cutting waiting lists, cutting debt and borrowing and cutting the cost of living.”

TIMECODES

(00:03:35) Why Thomasina believes ultra‑processed food shouldn’t be considered “real” food

(00:08:27) The role of supermarkets

(00:17:14) School meals

(00:21:37) The state of the UK hospitality sector

(00:31:24) Why every high street needs a greengrocer

(00:35:38) Cutting VAT for restaurants

(00:39:37) Valuing well‑grown, high‑quality produce

(00:41:45) Weight‑loss drugs

(00:44:02) Tackling food waste

(00:48:08) Amol’s reflections

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Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan

Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Mike Regaard. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.