UK will ban junk food advertisements from airing on TV before 9 PM. The law, an attempt to tackle UK childhood obesity, has been backed by health campaigners. The government is poised to announce a ban on junk food advertising online and before 9 pm on TV from 2023.
The Government has had a ban in sight for some time and has renewed its focus against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The new measures, which will be some of the toughest marketing restrictions in the world, will heavily impact the more than £600m spent by brands on all food advertising online and on TV annually.
The 9 pm pre-watershed ban on advertising TV products deemed to be high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) could cost TV broadcasters more than £200m a year in revenue.
The online ad ban would affect all paid-for forms of digital marketing, from ads on Facebook to paid-search results on Google, text message promotions, and paid activity on sites such as Instagram and Twitter. It is estimated that more than £400m is spent on advertising food products online in the UK annually.
Advertising of discount deals for unhealthy foods will also be banned, while people will be rewarded with shopping vouchers for losing weight and exercising under an incentive scheme to encourage healthier living. The legislation will also restrict retailer promotions on food and drink products that are high in fat, salt and sugar from April 2022.
The online ad ban will affect all paid-for forms of digital marketing, from ads on Facebook to paid-search results on Google, text message promotions, and paid activity on sites such as Instagram and Twitter.
