Landmark advertising ban will protect young people from exposure to junk food
Government-introduced regulations offer hope for parents to raise “healthiest generation of children ever”.
New regulations have come into force to help tackle childhood obesity.
A ban on junk food advertising on TV before 9pm and online at any time has been introduced this week (on 5th January) to protect children and young people from exposure to harmful food products.
A statement from the Department of Health and Social Care and Ashley Dalton MP said: “This decisive and world-leading action by this government is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000 and deliver around £2 billion in health benefits over time.”
Evidence shows advertising influences what and when children eat, shaping preferences from a young age and increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses.
The ban on advertising of food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) targets the media children and young people use most, at the times they use it.
At the start of primary school, latest figures report 22.1% of children in England are living with overweight or obesity and this rises to 35.8% by the time they leave. Being overweight can also put young people at risk of developing additional complications, including type 2 diabetes.
Tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for young children (typically aged 5 to 9) in the UK.
Minister for Health, Ashley Dalton, said: “We promised to do everything we can to give every child the best and healthiest start in life.
“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods - making the healthy choice the easy choice for parents and children.
“We’re moving the dial from having the NHS treat sickness to preventing it, so people can lead healthier lives and so it can be there for us when we need it.”
The Department of Health and Social Care statement added: “This government has worked closely with health campaigners and industry leaders to find the right balance which combines our commitment to raising healthy kids and economic growth. It’s in everyone’s interest that parents and children can make healthy choices and we thank food and drink companies for getting behind these restrictions voluntarily since October, ahead of them taking legal effect today (5th January).”
Previous interventions to combat rising obesity rates, such as the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, resulted in businesses reformulating to make products healthier and the measures coming into effect this week have already had a similar impact – which the government says is driving the development and promotion of healthier options.
The latest change is part of a range of measures the government is taking as part of their pledge to lift children out of poverty and help give them the best start in life.
The Healthy Food Standard was introduced last year help families make the average shopping basket of goods healthier, and government is also giving local authorities the power to stop fast food shops setting up outside schools in a bid to tackle obesity and improve diets.
Katharine Jenner, Executive Director, Obesity Health Alliance, said: “It’s been one battle after another, but we are finally going to see children being protected from the worst offending junk food adverts. This is a welcome and long-awaited step towards better protecting children from unhealthy food and drink advertising that can harm their health and wellbeing. These new restrictions will help reduce children’s exposure to the most problematic adverts and mark real progress towards a healthier food environment.
“For the government to achieve its ambition of raising the healthiest generation ever, this is an important policy as part of a broader approach to preventing obesity-related ill health. Continuing to strengthen the rules over time will help ensure these protections remain effective.”
The government vs childhood obesity – more key measures:
The Soft Drinks Industry Levy will also be extended to cover more products, including sugary milk-based drinks - and the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children aged under 16 will also be banned – in legislation expected to be passed within two years.
In December, the Prime Minister announced parents could save up to £500 a year on baby formula thanks to new government measures aimed at reducing household costs and easing the cost of living for hard-working families.
The government recently introduced supervised toothbrushing for 3- to 5-year-olds to protect those in the most deprived communities from tooth decay.
Meanwhile, the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to break the cycle of smoking addiction and prevent the next generation getting hooked on nicotine. It will also halt the advertising and sponsorship of vapes, limiting their packaging, flavours and displays, which lure young people in.
These measures combined with the junk food ban mark the shift towards prevention laid out in the 10 Year Health Plan and significant progress towards the government’s pledge of “raising the healthiest generation of children ever”.
Young people hail “milestone moment”
Farid (17), Bite Back Activist, said: “Today is a milestone moment – one that young people across the UK have been campaigning for over many years. We welcome the government taking action to put children’s health front and centre, to protect young people from the predatory and manipulative marketing of unhealthy food by junk food giants.
“These new rules are an important first step that begins to rip down the wallpaper of junk food advertising that surrounds young people on TV and online every day. We’re proud to see this change finally happen. But this cannot be the end. Young people are energised to keep pushing, working hard to make 2026 the year we fully transform the environments children grow up in.”
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said: “This is a positive step towards creating healthier environments for children and tackling childhood obesity.
“Childhood obesity remains one of the most significant public health challenges we face, driving health inequalities and placing a significant cost burden on the NHS and wider society. These measures are an important part of a whole systems approach, alongside local action to improve access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity.
“We are pleased to see that these measures complement other public health initiatives, such as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which together signal a strong commitment to prevention and improving health outcomes.”
Alice Wiseman MBE, Vice President of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said: “The vast majority of deaths in this country are caused by preventable illnesses and disease, including many cancers, respiratory, heart and liver disease. These illnesses are often linked to the consumption of harmful products like unhealthy food and drink, but this is not the result of personal choice.
“The reality is that what we eat and drink is heavily influenced by cheap prices and clever marketing campaigns backed by multi-million pound budgets. We simply don’t have the freedom to choose.
“There is no quick fix, but we know from our experience of tackling tobacco harm, that one of the key ways to reduce illness and death caused by harmful products is to introduce tighter restrictions on advertising those products.
“There is of course further to go, but today’s legislation is a significant and welcome step forward in protecting people from industry influence and reducing the number of people living with - and dying from - preventable illness and disease.”
Read more about type 2 diabetes
Read the DRWF diabetes information leaflets Healthy eating for diabetes and Signs and symptoms of diabetes
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