Childhood obesity: Junk food ads to be banned from next year

Restrictions on junk food adverts are expected to prevent around 20,000 cases of childhood obesity

No Junk food ads on television will be allowed before the 9 pm watershed from October 2025 under a new law.

The UK government confirmed the final details of advertising restrictions, including a ban on paid online junk food adverts, on Tuesday (3 December).

The proposed legislation is part of a broader strategy to curb childhood obesity and address rising rates of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Detailed guidance on which food and drink categories will be covered by the regulations has also been published.

These measures are expected to remove 7.2 billion calories per year from UK children’s diets, potentially preventing around 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.

Health secretary Wes Streeting emphasised the need for such preventative action, stating: “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.

“This is the first step to deliver a major shift in the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention, and towards meeting our government’s ambition to give every child a healthy, happy start to life,” he added.

NHS data reveals that one in eight toddlers and primary school children are obese.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, warned that rising childhood obesity could not only lead to health issues for young people later in life but also create problems for the future NHS, which is already spending over £11 billion to address the issue annually.

“We welcome this proposed legislation and look forward to working with the government and partners to help protect the good health of future generations,” he added.

Obesity is the second-largest preventable cause of cancer and is a major contributor to ill health that prevents people from participating fully in work.