Junk food advertising ban comes into effect - full list of items leaving our screens before 9pm
It aims to curb childhood obesity 📺
- A ban on advertising junk food before 9 pm is now in effect.
- It has been brought in to protect children from exposure to junk food and tackle obesity.
- Advertisements for less healthy food and drinks are now banned on television before 9 pm, and online at all times.
A new law banning junk food advertisements on TV and online has now come into effect.
From today, adverts for less healthy food and drinks will be banned on television before 9 pm, and online at all times, in a bid to curb childhood obesity.
The move 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.
At the start of primary school, 22.1% of children in England are overweight or obese, and this rises to 35.8% by the time they leave. Whilst tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for young children aged between five and nine.
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 9 pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods - making the healthy choice the easy choice for parents and children.”
When will adverts be banned?
Adverts promoting junk food will be banned on television between 5.30 am and 9.00 pm, and paid-for advertising online at any time.
What foods are classed as junk food?
The government have put in place two sets of criteria to stop children being exposed to adverts for foods that t are high in fat, salt and sugar.
They have identified food products that fall within one of thirteen categories that can significantly influence childhood obesity.
These categories include:
- prepared soft drinks containing added sugar ingredients
- savoury snacks
- breakfast cereals and porridges (some of which can contain high amounts of sugar and fat)
- chocolates and sweets,
- ice cream, ice lollies, frozen yoghurt, water ices and similar frozen products
- cakes and cupcakes
- sweet biscuits and bars
- morning goods, including sweet pastries and sweetened bread products
- desserts and puddings
- sweetened yoghurt and fromage frais
- pizzas
- prepared potato products
- main meals and sandwiches
The products in these categories are then assessed as to whether they are “less healthy” based on the levels of nutrients and whether products are high in saturated fat, salt, or sugar. Only products that meet both of these criteria will be affected by the advert restrictions.
You can find out more about how to eat a balanced diet at Eat Well.