Overview
- From January 5, adverts for high fat, salt or sugar products are barred on TV between 5:30am and 9pm and prohibited online at all times, with enforcement led by the Advertising Standards Authority.
- The rules use a nutrient-profiling model across 13 product categories, allowing ads for healthier reformulations and permitting brand-only advertising where no specific product appears.
- Outdoor advertising remains largely outside the ban and SMEs are exempt from the online restrictions, prompting concerns that marketing will shift to unregulated spaces.
- The measures sit alongside a wider package that includes extending the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and new local powers to curb fast-food outlets near schools, with plans to prohibit sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s.
- The government cites an estimated £2 billion in health benefits and strong backing from health groups, while a Bite Back poll shows many Britons want tighter rules and campaigners call for closing loopholes.