UK junk food advertising¹ ban comes into force

The new UK ban on junk food advertising before 9pm and online targets childhood obesity² and forces change across food marketing³.

UK junk food advertising ban comes into force

A landmark⁴ UK ban on junk food advertising has come into force today, restricting the promotion⁵ of less healthy food and drink products on TV before 9pm and online at all times.

The new regulations apply across the UK and aim to cut children’s exposure to advertising for foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), supporting wider efforts to tackle childhood obesity and diet-related ill health.

The advertising ban forms part of a broader package of food policy reforms, including mandatory⁶ healthy food sales reporting for businesses and the extension of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy⁷ to cover more products, including sugary milk-based drinks. The government is also banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16.

The government says the measures are world-leading and will remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, reduce the number of children living with obesity by around 20,000, and deliver an estimated £2bn in long-term health benefits.