The UK has started a major junk food advert ban, restricting how high fat, salt and sugar products can be promoted on TV and online as part of efforts to tackle childhood obesity. The rules stop junk food ads from running on television before 9pm and ban paid online advertising at any time.
The change is aimed at cutting children’s exposure to marketing for foods and drinks seen as significant contributors to unhealthy diets. Examples of products mentioned in coverage of the ban include soft drinks, chocolates, sweets, pizza and ice cream.
What the new UK ban covers
Under the new restrictions, advertising for foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar is no longer allowed on TV before 9pm. The rules also stop paid junk food advertising on the internet, meaning the restrictions apply across online platforms rather than only during certain hours.
The policy is designed to limit the promotion of “HFSS” products in places where children are likely to see them. The UK move has been presented as part of a wider push to reduce childhood obesity.
Why the government says it matters
Coverage of the policy points to health concerns that begin early in life, with UK health data showing that 9.2% of children in reception are classified as obese. It also highlights tooth decay as another problem linked to diet, reporting that by age five, one in five children has tooth decay.
The cost of obesity is also described as a major pressure on the health system, with estimates putting the annual burden on the NHS at more than £11 billion. Alongside these figures, reporting notes research suggesting that children’s exposure to unhealthy food advertising can shape their food choices from a young age and increase the likelihood of becoming overweight or obese.
The government expects the advertising restrictions to prevent around 20,000 cases of childhood obesity. Supporters of the approach argue that lowering children’s exposure to ads is intended to reduce demand for less healthy foods.
Ultra-processed foods in the wider debate
The UK advertising ban comes as ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are facing growing scrutiny in public health discussions. In a separate set of warnings highlighted by Food Fix, scientists said governments need to act to reduce UPF consumption or face worsening health outcomes globally.
Food Fix reported that the warnings were linked to a series of papers in The Lancet that strongly criticized ultra-processed foods. The reporting also said the researchers described a large body of evidence—spanning more than 100 prospective studies, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials and mechanistic studies—finding adverse health outcomes associated with UPFs.
According to that coverage, the researchers argued UPFs may contribute to health problems beyond weight gain, affecting “nearly all organ systems.” The scientists also described the shift away from long-established dietary patterns toward ultra-processed foods as a driver of the global rise in diet-related chronic diseases.
What researchers want governments to do
In the Food Fix report, the researchers called for major policy changes focused on reducing ultra-processed foods in diets, rather than only targeting foods high in fat, sugar and salt. The report said they warned that focusing only on fat, sugar and salt can lead to small product tweaks by the food industry that do not address the broader issue of ultra-processing.
The policy options described in that coverage included taxes on ultra-processed foods and bans on junk food marketing to children. It also mentioned restricting UPFs in school meals and requiring stronger front-of-pack food labels.
Food Fix also reported that the researchers recommended adding ingredients considered markers of ultra-processed foods—such as colors, flavors and sweeteners—to front-of-pack labeling approaches. Taken together, those recommendations frame the debate as moving beyond personal choice toward rules that reshape what is promoted and what information shoppers see.
