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UK Junk-Food Ad Ban Takes Effect Monday on TV Before 9pm and Online

The rules put enforcement in the hands of the Advertising Standards Authority.

Overview

  • Ads for products high in fat, salt or sugar are barred on television from 5:30am to 9:00pm, with a full online ban at all times.
  • Restrictions apply only to items in 13 government-listed categories that also score as less healthy under a nutrient profiling tool.
  • Brand-only promotions remain allowed, as do ads for reformulated healthier versions of products.
  • Outdoor advertising is outside the rules, including billboards, transport and retail sites.
  • The mandate follows a voluntary blackout started on 1 October 2025, with ministers estimating 20,000 fewer childhood obesity cases and experts calling it one step in a broader prevention strategy.