The UK government will ban junk food ads, including porridge and granola, to combat obesity.
- New regulations extend to various food products and will be effective from October 1, 2025.
- Ministers aim to reduce childhood obesity by removing 7.2 billion calories yearly from children’s diets.
- Advertisements for unhealthy foods will be restricted on TV before 9 pm and online.
- The initiative follows previous policies targeting high-fat, salt, or sugar products in retail settings.
The UK government is taking significant steps to curb childhood obesity by introducing a comprehensive ban on junk food advertising. Foods such as porridge and granola will join a wide array of products under this restriction, which includes ready meals, stuffed pasta, oat-based cereals, confectionery, soft drinks, ice cream, pizza, crisps, and salty snacks like pretzels and popcorn. The aim is to foster healthier eating habits among young individuals.
Starting October 1, 2025, the ban targets foods classified as unhealthy according to a scoring system measuring energy, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium against beneficial nutrients. These products will not be advertised on TV before 9 pm, and there will be a thorough ban on paid online ads. This regulatory move is designed to protect children from continuous exposure to unhealthy food commercials.
According to NHS data, the issue of obesity in children is alarming, with one in eight toddlers and primary school children found to be obese. The new advertising rules are projected to remove 7.2 billion calories annually from UK children’s diets, potentially preventing 20,000 cases of childhood obesity. The Financial Times reported on these ambitious health targets outlined by the government.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the importance of this initiative by stating, “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 highlights the government’s commitment to reducing the burden of obesity-related health issues in future generations.
These measures build on earlier government efforts from October 2022, when high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) products faced limitations on their in-store placements like entrances, gondola ends, and checkouts. Health Minister Andrew Gwynne affirmed that the updated advertising restrictions are a critical component of tackling the obesity problem directly and promptly.
The UK government’s decisive actions mark a robust approach to promoting healthier lifestyles and mitigating childhood obesity.
