Government confirms delay for restrictions on advertising of unhealthy food to 2025
In a shock move, today the Government have pushed back implementation of advertising restrictions on food and drink high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) to October 2025, a time outside of their current term of office.
These restrictions have already been delayed, having first been announced as part of the Government’s ambitious and forward thinking Obesity Strategy in 2018. Following various consultations and impact assessments, they were deemed both beneficial and impactful to public health and the economy and should have come into force in January 2023. Earlier this year, they were paused for a year to January 2024.
We strongly condemn the unethical actions of the Government in delaying these restrictions. Large multinational food and drink companies – who have had more than enough time to improve the quality of their food and drinks in preparation for the policy - spend billions of pounds every year on ruthless advertising campaigns to entice us and encourage us to buy and consume their products. It’s clear that these marketing strategies work; the Government’s own research assessing the impact of these restrictions suggested 20,000 fewer children would be living with obesity over a few years if the restrictions were enforced. Currently, more than one in three children (38%) leave primary school with overweight or obesity; any policies which serve to reduce this prevalence and prevent unnecessary health conditions should be championed and pushed immediately. Ensuring a healthier society would not only reduce the burden on an already crippled NHS, but would also result in substantial social care savings and ensure fewer people out of long term employment, a much needed boost for economic growth. A 10% reduction in obesity prevalence is thought to have a combined social gain equivalent to £6 billion a year.
Restrictions on advertising of unhealthy food and drink have already been piloted locally and shown significant success. A perfect example is the ban on Transport for London, which was recently evaluated and shown to have resulted in reduced purchases of HFSS food and drink, prevented almost 100,000 obesity cases and is expected to save the NHS over £200 million. More importantly, the biggest impact was present in the most deprived, who stand to benefit the most from these obesity policies.
We strongly urge the Government to revert to the intended year-long delay to January 2024. Delays to 2025 are unjustified and baseless.
Professor Graham MacGregor, Chairman for Action on Salt and Action on Sugar, said: “This news is hugely disappointing and goes against all the overwhelming evidence and public support in favour of it.
The only people to benefit from this baseless delay are the multinational food companies who are used to making huge profits from their unhealthy products and do not have a vested interest in the nation’s health.
This whole saga has been a huge waste of tax payer’s money and will now put more children at risk - this policy could reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000 over a few years. This has been orchestrated by a government which clearly has no intention of levelling up or committing to its promises in protecting the nation’s health from the devastating effects of unhealthy diets high in saturated fat, salt and sugar. This is the biggest cause of death and disability globally and costs the UK more than £100 billion (combined) annually.”
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