Bedford Borough Council introduces a healthier food advertising policy

Bedford Council is the twenty-third Council to bring in a Healthier Food Advertising Policy, after the Mayor of London, with support from Sustain, first brought in the policy across the Transport for London network in 2019. Bedford becomes the third council in the East of England to have successfully signed off robust policies with Sustain's support after Luton and Peterborough which successfully signed off robust policies within the last two years.

Fran Bernhardt, Sustain's Commercial Determinants Coordinator said:

We’re delighted to have worked with Bedford Borough Council to prioritise children’s health by switching the spotlight away from unhealthy foods and drinks.

There are now 23 English Councils plus the Transport for London network which have introduced these robust policies designed by Sustain. This growing movement sends a message to the national Government to deliver on their pledges to restrict advertising on TV and online, and further focus on outdoor and radio to set the stage for healthier food across our communities.

This policy is a bold step in the right direction: prioritising not just health but equality and sustainability too. Evidence shows that putting the spotlight on unhealthy food increases the risk of food related ill health like diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay. Companies target low-income areas, resulting in people living there being more likely to experience poor health. Additionally, many of the restricted products are unsustainable containing climate damaging ingredients, such as sugar, cocoa and palm oil, as well as requiring lots of energy to process them.

We hope the terrific news from Bedford will inspire even more Councils to take this important step for their residents’ health.

Councillor Martin Towler, the Bedford Borough Council portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and communities: health and wellbeing said:

The advertising market of unhealthy products can make people’s health worse. The negative effects of advertising unhealthy products are particularly strong for children and young people, and for the residents who live in more disadvantaged areas. Restricting advertising of unhealthy products has been shown to be effective.

For example, restricting the advertising on the London Underground has led to measurable decrease in calorie consumption from unhealthy foods without affecting their income. By approving this healthy advertising and sponsorship policy, the council is showing local leadership on this important issue

Background

Evidence from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s evaluation of the Transport for London policy has shown that the restrictions led to a 20% reduction in sugary products, and a 1000 calorie decrease per week per household from unhealthy foods and drinks. Further modelling research from the University of Sheffield has estimated that across London, the restriction may lead to 95,000 fewer cases of obesity, 3000 fewer cases of diabetes and 2000 fewer cases of heart disease and could save the NHS £218 million over the lifetime of the current population.

Transport for London also announced that its advertising revenues have been unaffected by the restrictions since implementation in 2019. In the first year of the policy, revenues went up by £2.3 million, and in the second year (2020-21), despite financial losses due to Covid lockdowns at the time, the restrictions enabled the advertising figures to be maintained.

While local authorities are taking action, national government has stalled on anti-obesity measures. In 2020, the Government announced plans to restrict unhealthy food adverts, including a total online and 9pm TV watershed as a key part of the government's obesity strategy. These were due to be implemented in January 2023. However, in December 2022 the national Government delayed these to October 2025 - a delay that pushes them back three years after the date they originally committed to. This comes after the Obesity Health Alliance’s research found that 8 out of 10 adults support the Government restricting unhealthy food advertising to children on TV (79%) and online (81%).

In April 2025, a BMJ investigation revealed the advertising industry is using a number of techniques from the big tobacco playbook to undermine local governments' efforts to introduce healthier food advertising policies.

If your local authority is interested in introducing a healthier food advertising policy, check out Sustain's toolkit for local authorities.