The health secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed a ban of ‘less healthy’ food adverts and TV commercials before the watershed will come into place from October 2025.
The Government believes the measures will see children consume 7.2 billion fewer calories per year, preventing an estimated 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.
According to the latest NHS data, almost one in 10 reception-aged children are now considered obese, and by age five, one in five children have tooth decay because of excess sugar consumption.
The move to ban junk food adverts before 9pm was first announced by the Government in September following a consultation on proposals to further restrict the promotion of less healthy food and drink.
Further guidance is being published today to provide more detail on which food and drink categories will be covered by the regulations. Products covered by the ban are thought to include breakfast cereals, chocolates and sweets, ice-cream, cakes, sweetened yoghurt, pizza and prepared potato products.
The minister for health and social care, 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.’
The Local Government Association (LGA) said any efforts to reduce childhood obesity need to be part of a ‘whole systems approach’.
Councillor David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, added, ‘Greater powers for councils to tackle the clustering of takeaways and restricting junk food advertising near schools, alongside extra investment in council-run programmes such as those promoting physical activity and healthy weight can help play an essential part in helping to curb child obesity.’
