UK battles obesity in kids with ad ban

NEW regulations come into force yesterday in Britain banning daytime TV and online adverts for so-called junk foods, in what the government calls a "world-leading action" to tackle childhood obesity.

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The ban - targeting ads for products high in fat, salt or sugar - is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children's diets each year, according to the health ministry.

Impacting ads airing before the 9pm watershed and anytime online, it will reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20 000 and deliver around £2 billion (R44bn) in health benefits, the ministry added.

The implementation of the measure - first announced in December 2024 - follows other recent steps, including an extended sugar tax on prepackaged items like milkshakes, ready-to-go coffees and sweetened yoghurt drinks.