UK dilutes junk-food advertising ban, exempting most ad spend
Change
UK restricted advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar before 9pm on television and banned such advertising online from 5 January 2026, but the regulations apply to only about 1% of annual food-and-drink advertising spend as firms can shift to exempt channels.
Why it matters
The new rules block only a narrow slice of advertising channels and product categories, leaving outdoor posters, brand advertising and many commonly consumed high-fat, salt or sugar products outside the ban. That narrow scope makes it easier for marketers to reroute campaigns to exempt platforms and maintain children's exposure to unhealthy food marketing.
Implications
- • Television broadcasters' advertising compliance teams must stop running advertisements for foods high in fat, salt and sugar in pre-9pm TV slots from 5 January 2026 to comply with the new rules.
- • Online platforms' ad operations teams must remove or block HFSS product advertisements across their services from 5 January 2026 to meet the ban's requirements.
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Source
Topics
Policy & Regulation Regulatory Actions Public Health Food & Beverages