The taxpayer is shelling out £9 per view of a Department of Health video aimed at encouraging healthy eating and starring TV chef Ainsley Harriott, the same price as a cinema ticket.
The department of health's New Year supermeals campaign, which involves cookbooks, videos and recipe packs cost the public £329,000 - including £22,000 spent on producing youtube videos starring Harriott hosted on the Change4Life website which have currently been viewed just over 2,000 times, despite being online since 3 January.
As part of the health meals move, 100,000 cookbooks with ideas for cheap and healthy meals will be distributed through the Daily Mirror and to what the department of health describe as "Change4Life supporters". Four million recipe packs, aimed at encouraging healthy meal ideas, have also been printed at a cost of £213,000.
The four million recipe cards with quick healthy meal ideas will be distributed through supermarkets - leading Labour to accuse the government of conducting an advertisement for big business cloaked as a healthy eating campaign.
Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott told the Huffington Post UK the Department of Health had launched a "favour to the government’s friends in big business at the expense of British families."
"At a time when British families are hard pressed, I think people will be upset to be footing the bill for Andrew Lansley’s friends in big business like this. It’s clear Andrew Lansley has got some explaining to do, especially seeing as at least one of the supermarkets has confirmed, since the launch, that it won’t be offering any new discounts after all. It’s Andrew Lansley’s credibility that is unravelling alongside this initiative."
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said it was unfair to judge the campaign on a "snapshot" as the campaign was ongoing.
"The cookbook and recipe packs are also used by local supporters including health professionals and children's centre staff working with local communities," they said.
"Obesity costs the NHS £5bn every year so it is crucial we encourage everyone to eat well and be active to help prevent obesity related illnesses later in life.