‘No burgers, soft drinks and burgers’: UK bans daytime TV ads for junk food in bid to tackle child obesity

The UK government has announced a ban on daytime TV adverts for sugary foods, including popular items like granola, muffins, and pastries, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat rising childhood obesity.
News agency AFP reported that the new regulations, set to take effect in October next year, will restrict ads for “less healthy” food and drinks to airing only after the 9:00 pm watershed.
The ban targets specific products identified as unhealthy based on their sugar, fat, and salt content, but does not apply to the broader advertising of fast food chains. For example, ads from fast food restaurants will remain permissible as long as they do not feature specific items like burgers or fries, according to a BBC report.
Highlighting the importance of these measures, health secretary 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.”
Rising child obesity in UK
According to the National Health Service (NHS), obesity rates among children in the UK are on the rise, with one in 10 four-year-olds now classified as obese. Additionally, one in five five-year-olds suffers from tooth decay linked to excessive sugar consumption. The government’s new approach aims to address these alarming statistics and prevent further health complications down the line.
What will be covered in the ambit of the ban?
The ban includes a variety of items that are commonly marketed to children, such as fast food, soft drinks, ready meals, and pre-packaged sugary breakfast foods. Products like croissants, pancakes, waffles, cereal bars, and sweetened yoghurts will be affected, alongside chickpea or lentil-based crisps, seaweed snacks, energy drinks, and processed foods like hamburgers and chicken nuggets.
However, healthier alternatives will be exempt from the restrictions. Natural porridge oats and unsweetened yoghurt, for instance, will not fall under the new rules.
The government hopes that by reducing the exposure of children to these adverts, it can help prevent an estimated 20,000 cases of childhood obesity each year.