Days after it came into force, more than 50 health groups have told the government its ban on junk food advertising does not go far enough.
The Obesity Health Alliance has written an open letter to health secretary Wes Streeting and culture secretary Lisa Nandy, urging them to remove “loopholes” that allow brands with HFSS products to continue advertising.
The alliance has also urged ministers to extend the legislation to outdoor media, which is currently excluded from the ban, which came into force on Monday.
Signatories including the British Heart Foundation, the British Medical Association and Diabetes UK said the ban should be seen as the first step towards ending all junk food advertising to children.
“We remain concerned about the broad exemptions for brand advertising, the limited number of product categories and media channels in scope,” says the letter. It also urges ministers to adopt a proposed new version of the nutrient profiling model, released in 2018, to replace the 2004 model currently used to decide which products are covered.
“Without steps to address these issues in future policy, these restrictions will fall short of delivering the conditions required to achieve the government’s ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, or the long-term sustainability gains the NHS urgently need,” adds the letter.
OHA executive director Katharine Jenner said: “Bringing these long-awaited restrictions into force is an important step towards protecting children from relentless junk food advertising. But this legislation will only deliver its promise if it is robustly enforced and strengthened over time. Loopholes such as the broad brand advertising exemptions, a narrow range of products and media in scope, and reliance on an outdated nutrient profiling model risk limiting its impact and driving advertising into other channels, including outdoor spaces.
“If the government is serious about raising the healthiest generation ever and tackling widening health inequalities, this must be a starting point – not the end. Swift action is now needed to close these gaps and move towards ending unhealthy food and drink advertising to children across all media by the end of this Parliament.”
Meanwhile, a poll released by Bite Back claimed there was strong support for extending restrictions beyond TV and online. It claimed two in three adults think it is unacceptable to target children with junk food adverts, while more than half believe outdoor advertising should be included in the regulations.
No comments yet