No Burgers, Soft Drinks Please...: Why Has UK Banned Junk Food Ads?

The UK government has placed a ban on paid online adverts and TV adverts shown before 9 PM, in a bid to fight childhood obesity.

UK Bans Junk-Food: Details

Baked goods including crumpets, scones and pancakes are all considered junk food under the new legislation.

Adverts for sugary breakfast cereals will also disappear from pre-watershed television screens, with granola, muesli and "porridge oats, including instant porridge and other hot oat-based cereals" all classed as "less healthy" food, BBC reported.

The promotion of sweetened yoghurts and sugary drinks – including fizzy drinks and some fruit juices – will also be restricted.

Cook and TV presenter Thomasina Miers welcomed the move as "bold" but the ban has prompted criticism from others, BBC reported.

The new legislation also applies to paid-for online ads for these products to reduce children's exposure to foods high in fat, sugar or salt.

UK Bans Junk Food: How Is The Classification Done?

The government will classify products according to a scoring system based on their sugar, fat, and protein content, banning advertising on all foods designated as "less healthy".

This means healthy versions of products – including porridge products with no added sugar, salt, or fat, and unsweetened yogurt products – will not be subject to the ban.

UK Bans Junk Food: Why Was It Needed?

The legislation comes in the context of rising childhood obesity levels in the UK, with NHS data suggesting almost one in 10 reception-aged children (9.2 per cent) lives with obesity.

One in five children by the age of five (23.7 per cent) suffers tooth decay because of excess sugar consumption, NHS figures indicate.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson first announced a UK-wide ban on TV adverts for food high in sugar, salt, and fat before 21:00 to help tackle the problem in 2021.

The ban was later delayed to 2025, with the Conservative government saying it wanted to give the food and drink industry time to prepare for the change because of the cost of living crisis, BBC reported.