Can we let them eat cake?
Bringing in cake to the office has been compared to passive smoking
It’s Wednesday morning in January, the hump of the week. The temperature is a balmy -5 degrees. The emails are pouring in and your Excel spreadsheet is making you dizzy. It’s only 9:30am! Just then, a kind soul walks in and places a box in the office breakout area. “It’s my birthday so I’ve brought in cake,” she announces. Instant Joy. Or is it? Prof Susan Jebb, chairwoman of the Food Standards Agency, certainly doesn’t think so. She has announced that this act of kindness is as harmful to our health as passive smoking. She wants to put an end to the temptation of unhealthy treats in the workplace.
On reflection, we are feeling pretty guilty about bringing trays of sugary cupcakes branded with our logo to an event in Crawley. Are we really suggesting this can be compared with us bringing along packets of cigarettes and puffing away all afternoon?