Starting October 1, 2025, advertisements for junk food will be banned on television before 9 p.m., according to the government. Both a complete ban on paid online advertisements and a 9 p.m. bad on junk food advertising on TV are intended to combat childhood obesity, according to Labor. Boris Johnson had previously committed to a ban in 2021, but it was postponed to offer the industry more time to prepare. On Thursday, Health Minister Andrew Gwynne announced the restrictions’ range and the date of implementation, providing “clarity for businesses.”
Gwynne stated in a written Commons statement that the government wants to “address the issue head-on” and “without further delay.” He added, “The restrictions will assist in safeguarding children from being exposed to advertisements for less healthy foods and beverages, which evidence suggests affects their dietary preferences from a young age.” The pre-watershed ban was one of the Labour Party’s pledges in this year’s general election campaign, and the government has published its response to a 2022 survey on draft regulations for the ban, confirming definitions for the products, companies, and services covered by the restrictions.
Gwynne added that the government will hold a four-week consultation to clarify how restrictions will apply to Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), which provides live TV over the internet. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promised significant NHS reform in response to a report by surgeon and former Labour MP Lord Darzi. Among Sir Keir’s proposals are the transition to a digital NHS, the transfer of more care from hospitals to communities, and an emphasis on disease prevention to alleviate pressure.
Childhood obesity is one of the stresses that put children on a path toward an unhealthy lifestyle and create additional pressures on the NHS, according to Gwynne. “By the time they start primary school, more than one in five children in England are overweight or living with obesity, and this rises to more than one-third by the time they leave,” he said
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