Britain on Monday began enforcing a ban on daytime television and online advertising for foods high in fat, salt, or sugar, a move the government says is aimed at reducing childhood obesity and improving long-term public health.
The new rules prohibit adverts for so-called junk food before 9:00 p.m. watershed on TV and at any time online. The health ministry said the measures are expected to cut up to 7.2 billion calories a year from children’s diets, reduce the number of children living with obesity by around 20,000, and deliver an estimated £2 billion ($2.7 billion) in long-term health benefits.
The advertising restrictions were first announced in December 2024 and built on other recent policies aimed at improving children’s diets. These include an expanded sugar tax on pre-packaged products such as milkshakes, ready-to-drink coffees, and sweetened yogurt drinks. Local authorities have also been granted powers to prevent fast food outlets from opening near schools.
Officials say the changes are driven by evidence that advertising plays a key role in shaping children’s food preferences from an early age, influencing what and when they eat and increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses. Government figures show that 22 percent of children in England are overweight or obese when they start primary school, rising to more than one in three by the time they reach secondary school.
Tooth decay remains the leading cause of hospital admissions among children aged five to nine, according to health officials.
“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9 p.m. and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods,” health minister Ashley Dalton said. He said the move was part of a broader effort to shift the state-funded National Health Service toward prevention as well as treatment.
Health charities welcomed the ban. Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, described it as a long-awaited step to protect children better. Diabetes UK also backed the move, warning that rising obesity rates are contributing to an increase in type 2 diabetes among young people, with serious long-term health risks. AFP
