New UK Junk Food Ad Ban: Experts Warn of Loopholes and Ineffectiveness
UK's new junk food ad ban may only affect 1% of annual ad spend, experts say, raising concerns over its impact on childhood obesity.
The UK government has introduced a much-anticipated ban on advertising foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) in a bid to tackle the growing childhood obesity crisis. However, a new report suggests that the ban may be largely ineffective due to significant loopholes and industry lobbying.
According to the report, the ban, which came into force on 5 January 2026, is expected to affect only around 1% of the £2.4bn spent annually on advertising food and drink in the UK. This is a far cry from the government's claims that the ban would remove 7.2bn calories from UK children's diets every year.
Source: The Guardian
