New regulations banning daytime television and online advertising for so-called junk foods will come into force in Britain on Monday, January 5, in what the government has described as a “world-leading action” to tackle childhood obesity.

 

 

 

The ban targets adverts for products high in fat, salt or sugar and will apply to television adverts aired before the 9:00 pm watershed as well as paid advertising online at any time. According to the health ministry, the measures are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year.

 

 

 

 

Officials said the policy could reduce the number of children living with obesity by about 20,000 and deliver an estimated £2 billion in health benefits.

The move, first announced in December 2024, builds on other recent interventions, including an extension of the sugar tax to pre-packaged items such as milkshakes, ready-to-drink coffees and sweetened yoghurt drinks. Local authorities have also been granted powers to prevent fast food outlets from opening near schools.

 

 

 

The government said evidence shows advertising plays a major role in influencing what and when children eat, shaping preferences from an early age and increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses. It noted that 22 per cent of children starting primary school in England are overweight or obese, rising to more than a third by the time they reach secondary school.

 

 

 

Tooth decay remains the leading cause of hospital admissions for young children aged five to nine, according to officials.

 

 

“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9 pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods,” said Ashley Dalton.

 

 

He added that the policy was part of a broader effort to shift the National Health Service towards prevention as well as treatment, “so people can lead healthier lives.”

 

 

 

Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, welcomed the move, describing it as “a long-awaited step towards better protecting children from unhealthy food and drink advertising that can harm their health and wellbeing.”

 

 

 

The charity Diabetes UK also backed the ban. Its chief executive, Colette Marshall, warned that type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting younger people.

 

 

 

“Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and the condition can have more severe consequences in young people, leaving them at risk of serious complications such as kidney failure and heart disease,” she said.