A new ban on junk food advertising on television and online will cut just two calories a day from children’s diets – the equivalent of less than a tenth of a jelly.
Ministers will today introduce legislation to curb adverts despite acknowledging it could cost businesses £199m a year and have a marginal impact on diets.
The policy aims to reduce children’s exposure to foods high in fat, sugar or salt, such as cakes, biscuits, ready meals and chips.
It will come into force from October next year and will apply to advertising on television before nine at night and on the Internet at all times.
Companies will also be prohibited from promoting junk food outside the home through billboards.
The Government’s impact assessment says the measures are likely to reduce children’s exposure to such adverts by just 8.9 seconds and cut 2.1 calories from their diet each day.
Altogether, the Department of Health and Social Care says this could prevent 20,000 cases of childhood obesity. However, its impact assessment points out that the true benefits may be smaller, saying young people can make up for the calorie deficit by eating more as adults and advertisers could lose £659 million over 25 years.
Officials will also publish today a detailed list of foods and drinks that will be subject to the ban.
A new ban on junk food advertising on television and online will cut just two calories a day from children’s diets – the equivalent of less than a tenth of a jelly.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Obesity deprives our children 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 junk food adverts aimed at children, both on television and online.
Includes prepared soft drinks that contain added sugar; salty snacks; cereals and porridge for breakfast; chocolates and sweets; ice cream, popsicles, frozen yogurt and cakes.
Advertisements for cookies and sweet bars based on nuts, seeds or cereals, as well as morning products, such as sweet pastries and sweetened bread products, will also be restricted; desserts and puddings; sweetened yogurt and fresh cheese; pizzas; prepared potato products; and prepared meals and snacks.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Obesity deprives our children 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 junk food adverts aimed at children, both on television and online.’
NHS data shows an increasing trend in childhood obesity: almost one in ten children of reception age (9.2 per cent) are now living with obesity and one in five by the age of five (23.7 percent) suffers from cavities.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of the NHS, said: “We have always said that the NHS can play its part in helping obese people reach a healthier weight, but we need to work with the rest of society to prevent obesity. people become healthier. overweight in the first place. That’s why we welcome this proposed legislation and look forward to working with the Government and our partners to help protect the good health of future generations.’
Children with obesity are said to be more likely to live with the condition as adults and are at significantly higher risk of life-limiting illnesses.
Obesity is the second most preventable cause of cancer, according to health experts, costing the UK health service more than £11 billion each year and contributing significantly to poor health that prevents people from fully participating in the work.
Advertisements for sweet cookies and bars based on nuts, seeds or cereals will also be restricted (file image)
Children with obesity are said to be more likely to live with the condition as adults and are at significantly higher risk of life-limiting illnesses. Advertising ban aims to reduce children’s exposure to foods high in fat, sugar or salt (file image)
Chris Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: “The food advertising ban has no global precedent, so Britain is in uncharted territory, but I predict it will not lead to a reduction of obesity”. All other anti-obesity policies have failed, including the sugar tax and mandatory calorie labeling, and I see no reason why this would be any different.
‘It is bad news for broadcasters, Internet platforms and for everyone who uses them. If obesity rates have not decreased within five years, the ban should be repealed and the pressure groups behind it seriously questioned.’
A spokesperson for the Advertising Association said: “The Government’s own impact assessment makes clear that the impact of this policy on daily calorie reduction for the average child will be minimal at best and potentially cost the average child UK advertising sector billions of pounds, impacting the UK creative industries and wider economic growth.
“We urge the Government to implement holistic policies that are proven to address the real causes of obesity, such as socio-economic deprivation, and public health campaigns can play an important role.”