CHENNAI, INDIA, June 22, 2006: (HPI note: There is also a major movement on in the US to similarly eliminate junk food sales in schools.) A survey group will investigate food products available at canteens in private schools across Chennai. The move comes in the wake of a government circular, which says colas, fries, chips and chocolates should be taken off the school canteens. Though food is clean, Consumer Action Group says junk food can have a direct impact on the health of children. As a result the schools have started taking measures. “We realized that if we don’t do it in school, its never going to take place. We have almost 2,300 children, so we could do something with them,” said Sister Preeti, the Principal of Good Shephard Convent. Very few private schools have taken steps to remove junk food from canteens. Some schools even refused to say what was available in the canteen. “Though schools know and preach that junk food is bad, they still have junk food sold in the schools,” said Kavitha Krishnakumar, Programme Officer, Consumer Action Group. “It is primarily because schools make a lot of profit from the junk food,” she added.
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