Name: UK bans junk food ads to fight rising obesity rates
Uploaded: 2026-01-05T22:49:40.088Z
Duration: 2 min 16 s
Description: Britain’s ban on junk food advertising has officially come into effect. The law aims to prevent adverts targeting children and tackle childhood obesity. Restrictions cover less healthy foods and drinks on daytime TV and online at all hours.

Britain’s ban on junk food advertising has officially come into effect. The law aims to prevent adverts targeting children and tackle childhood obesity. Restrictions cover less healthy foods and drinks on daytime TV and online at all hours.

London

The UK government has implemented a ban on junk food advertisements targeting children, prohibiting ads for foods high in fat, salt, or sugar from appearing on television before 9pm and banning paid online ads completely. The initiative aims to reduce children's exposure to unhealthy foods linked to obesity and poor health outcomes.

This policy follows similar measures in countries such as Chile, Portugal, and several others, which have also restricted unhealthy food marketing to children. While the ban covers a wide range of products, including sweetened yoghurts and ready meals, critics note that advertising loopholes remain, such as ads on billboards and at bus stops.

UK bans junk food ads to fight rising obesity rates

Salt, fat, sugar, ingredients were wired to desire. The building blocks of many snacks and the target of the UK's new ban on junk food ads aimed at children. For decades, food adverts have tempted children and shaped lifelong eating habits. But new rules mean foods high in fat, salt or sugar can't appear on TV before 9pm and paid online ads are banned entirely. Goal, to reduce children's exposure to food linked to obesity and poor health. Globally, 1 in 10 children are now obese, while a third of children in England leave primary school overweight or obese. Parents are tired of having to compete with food corporations. I just had a conversation with my son and obviously they've all got social media now. And the first thing that popped up was some sort of fried chicken place. First thing he said, oh the food looks good there. So it's hard to compete, I think a lot of young people these days are more into social media than they're watching TV. It makes me hungry and then it makes me want whatever's on it. It makes me want to try it, yeah. A recent study found children will eat significantly more calories after watching just five minutes of junk food advertising and the impact is measurable. The UK is not acting alone. Several countries have already introduced restrictions. Chile and Portugal are leading the way, restricting unhealthy food marketing to children across TV, online, social media and public spaces, while creative tactics like offering prizes are also banned. Peru and Argentina have also restricted the use of creative marketing techniques aimed at children across all platforms, while Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Romania and South Korea have limited marketing to children online and on TV. Some of the foods being banned in adverts might surprise you. It's not just sweets, crisps and chocolate, but sweetened yoghurt and fruit smoothies, some mueslis, protein bars and ready meals are also included. But loopholes remain. Brands are still going to be able to advertise on billboards and at bus stops. Critics say it's a start, but not a solution. Charlie Angela Al Jazeera, London.

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