Junk food banned in maintained schools is being sold in academies

A third of academy schools are selling junk food that is banned in maintained schools under regulations introduced to protect children's health, a series of freedom of information requests has revealed, The Guardians reports.
Out of 108 academies that responded to the requests, 29 were selling chocolate and other confectionery, nine admitted selling fizzy drinks and seven sold energy drinks such as Red Bull.
An investigation by Channel 4's Dispatches found that 37 out of the 108 academies that responded were selling at least one food or drink product that was not permitted before they became academies. Such schools are state-funded but independently run; more than half of secondaries in England are now academy schools, which can opt out of national standards for school meals.
Dispatches also found from freedom of information requests to councils and academies that less than a quarter of children at the secondary schools that responded were having school dinners.
The research found that some academies did well in providing food that met national standards, but at many others children were being offered a diet high in fat, sugar and salt.