Government lays down the law to put children's health first on TV & online

The UK Government has today formally laid the law which restricts unhealthy food advertising before 9pm on TV and at all times online. It will come into force in October 2025.

Sustain has fed into the many consultations on the policy since it was first proposed in July 2020. Government will today be publishing guidance intended to provide more detail on which food and drink categories will be covered by the regulations. 

The policy comes off the back of years of evidence which indicates that the more unhealthy food advertising children are exposed to, the more it plays a starring role in their minds. Subsequently, increasing their risk of food related ill health including type 2 diabetes and tooth decay. For example, Cancer Research UK found that for every unhealthy food advert young people see, they consume an additional 350 calories.

The Government states that 7.2 billion calories per year are expected to be removed from the food UK children eat as a result of the new measures, preventing an estimated 20,000 children from living with obesity.

Fran Bernhardt, Sustain's Commercial Determinants Coordinator said:

This is a crucial step to champion our children's health. The evidence is clear: advertising works. When unhealthy food is cast in the starring role, it increases our children's risk of food related ill health such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. But we can instead spotlight healthier foods, setting the stage for our children to have a better start in life. We look forward to seeing the details of the Government's policy and hope that this will be robust enough to meet their ambitions to create the healthiest generation of children ever.

Katharine Jenner, Obesity Health Alliance Director said:

We strongly welcome the announcement of new advertising guidelines set to come into force in October 2025, marking a significant and long-overdue step toward prioritising children’s health and giving healthier options the visibility they deserve. The Government has sent a clear message to the industry that the days of advertising unhealthy food to children on TV before 9pm or any time online are over. 
 
For far too long, the food industry has pushed back against these common-sense regulations on unhealthy food advertising, claiming they needed ‘more time to prepare.’ Meanwhile, adverts for sugary drinks, salty snacks, and other unhealthy products have continued to dominate children’s screens, shaping their preferences and eating habits.
 
Starting in October 2025, these new rules will ensure that unhealthy food adverts no longer appear before 9pm or target children online during peak viewing times. This is a critical move to protect children’s wellbeing, and should be the first step that fully consigns the advertising of unhealthy food to the dustbin of history.