Queen's Speech unveils total ban on online junk food ads

[Celerity]

A total ban will be imposed on advertising unhealthy food online, as ministers say that the pandemic has shown the need to get serious about obesity. Although proposals to put calorie labels on pints of beer and glasses of wine have been dropped, health campaigners have praised “landmark” reforms that would see tight controls on promotion and advertising of foods high...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/queens-speech-includes-ban-on-online-junk-food-ads-to-curb-obesity-k7ghg2tg6


A total ban will be imposed on advertising unhealthy food online, as ministers say that the pandemic has shown the need to get serious about obesity. Although proposals to put calorie labels on pints of beer and glasses of wine have been dropped, health campaigners have praised “landmark” reforms that would see tight controls on promotion and advertising of foods high in sugar, salt and fat.

Discount deals for such food will be banned, as will advertising them on television before a 9pm watershed after Boris Johnson recommitted to tough action on obesity in the Queen’s Speech today. The proposals are contained in a series of 31 bills to go before parliament covering planning law reform, an expansion of police powers and a revamp of electoral law. There were concerns, however that social reform had been put on the backburner.

The Queen delivered the speech, her first major public royal engagement since the death of Prince Philip, in a socially distanced ceremony at the state opening of parliament. Under the new junk food controls, people will be rewarded with shopping vouchers for losing weight and exercising more under a “fit miles” incentive scheme to encourage healthier living.

Restaurants will be required to put calorie counts on menus, although pubs will not have to do the same on beer pumps and bottles. Johnson, who lost weight after being seriously ill with Covid-19 last year, had been wobbling over a total online advertising ban for junk food after protests from the industry and advertisers, who insisted that there was no evidence for such a far-reaching move. But today the Queen’s Speech promised a “total ban online” for junk food.

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[JanMichael]

1. Good. nt