A new ban on junk food advertisements will come into effect next year as part of the Government’s pledge to improve the health of the next generation and cut childhood obesity.
In new guidelines recently released by the Government, the food industry has been given details on which food and drinks will be covered in the regulations, with restrictions on what can be advertised on TV and online, with ads only allowed past the 9 pm watershed.
It is hoped that the new law, which will come into effect in October 2025, will remove up to 7.2 billion calories per year from UK children’s diets, preventing an estimated 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.
The new restrictions form part of the new Government’s manifesto pledge to give every child the best and healthiest start in life. The ban on junk food ads hopes to reduce the amount of advertising children are exposed to that encourages them to want foods that are high in fats, sugars, and salts.
In addition, many of these products are unhealthy ultra-processed foods that have also been shown to have detrimental effects on health.
Childhood obesity rates in the UK are significantly high. Data from the NHS shows that almost one in 10 (9.2%) of reception-aged children are now living with obesity, and around one in eight children aged between two and 10 in England are obese.
In addition, by age 5, one in five (23.7%) children have tooth decay because of excess sugar consumption. Research has also shown that children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults, increasing the risk of developing a range of health issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.
Under the new guidelines, different foods will be assessed and classified according to a scoring system based on their sugar, fat, and protein content, and foods that are designated as ‘less healthy’ will be banned.
Foods that will come under the ban will include fast food, soft drinks (including fizzy drinks and some fruit juices), ready meals, pastries, cereal bars, and sweetened yoghurts. It also includes some types of breakfast cereals that are high in sugar.
The government says the legislation, which applies to both paid online adverts and TV ads shown before 9 pm, is designed to curb childhood obesity.
Obesity is one of the leading causes of bad health in the UK and costs the NHS more than £11 billion each year. It is the second biggest preventable cause of diabetes and increases the risk of other serious health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and joint pain, all of which impact people’s quality of life and ability to participate fully in work and leisure activities.
Secretary of State for Health and Social, Wes Streeting, said:
“Obesity robs our kids of the best possible start in life, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems, and costs the NHS billions.
“This government is taking action now to end the targeting of junk food ads at kids, across both TV and online.
“This is the first step to deliver a major shift in the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention and towards meeting our government’s ambition to give every child a healthy, happy start to life.”
Photo: An AI-generated depiction of a child watching a junk food advert.
Rachel Kayani
