A 9pm watershed on TV junk food advertising will come into force in October 2025, the government has confirmed.
This will come alongside a total ban on paid-for online advertising for junk food, under plans to tackle childhood obesity.
Politics Live: Keir Starmer reveals NHS plan
The new rules deliver on a Labour manifesto commitment to implement the restrictions, with the timeline set out to “provide clarity” for businesses, health minister Andrew Gwynne said.
In a written ministerial statement confirming the plans, he said: “These restrictions will help protect children from being exposed to advertising of less healthy food and drinks, which evidence shows influences their dietary preferences from a young age.”
Boris Johnson committed to a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm in 2021 when he was prime minister, but the plan was delayed twice.
The Tories said they wanted to review the impact of the restrictions on consumers and businesses in light of the cost of living crisis, and the measures would come into force in October 2025.
Mr Gwynne confirmed Labour would stick to that timeline, saying: “This provides the clarity that businesses have been calling for and will support them to prepare for the restrictions coming into force across the UK on 1 October 2025.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘I accept your challenge’ to fix NHS
…
