Government Urged to Put Health Warnings on Billboards Promoting Fizzy Drinks
Following the news that San Francisco has become the first US city to require health warnings on billboards advertising fizzy soft drinks, Action on Sugar is calling for this to be mandatory in the UK as part of David Cameron’s much anticipated Childhood Obesity Strategy due for release in July.
From 25 July 2016 public advertisements on posters and bus shelters will have to carry the message: “WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay”.
The warnings will have to cover at least 20 per cent of the advert’s surface.
This coincides with Action on Sugar’s Evidence Based Action plan (already presented to the Government) which also call for all forms of marketing including media, digital platforms etc. to children and adolescents to not be allowed for unhealthy food and drink. The health warnings must also extend to the product label. It is crucial that parents are aware just how unhealthy regular consumption of these drinks is.
“There is no justification for banning the advertisements of tobacco when unhealthy food and drink are a bigger cause of preventable death and disability in the UK,” says Jennifer Rosborough – Campaign Manager at Action on Sugar.
“If we are going to tackle the UK’s escalating obesity epidemic which will cripple the NHS if it is not addressed immediately, consumers need to be fully aware of the huge quantities of sugar in soft drinks which contribute to the onset of obesity and type 2 diabetes”.
For more information contact:
National PR - David Clarke @ Rock PR:
E: david@rock-pr.com
M: 07773 225516
