The UK government has passed legislation to ban junk food ads from running on TV and online between 5:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

It’s introducing this restriction, which comes into effect on October 1, 2025, as part of a strategy to reduce kids’ exposure to marketing for foods and beverages that are categorized as HFSS (high in fat, sugar and/or salt). Another goal of the initiative is to curb the number of medical cases related to obesity, which costs the UK’s National Health Service US$14 billion (£11 billion) per year, according to a statement about the legislation from NHS and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting. One in eight British toddlers and primary-school children are obese, according to NHS data, and 23.7% of kids have tooth decay by age five because of excess sugar consumption 

The UK government released a list of the types of food and beverages that will be affected by the ban on Tuesday. 

The question of whether or not to ban junk food ads has sustained a long-running debate in the UK that goes back decades. According to the Advertising Association, Britain already has some of the strictest rules in the world around advertising high-HFSS products, especially when it comes to targeting children. This org represents UK advertisers, and has a history of critiquing the concept of a junk food ad ban.

“As the government’s own…assessment makes clear, the impact of this policy in reducing the daily calorie intake of an average child will be minimal at best, while potentially costing our sector millions of pounds,” said an AA spokesperson in a statement on Tuesday. “This will have an inevitable impact on the creative industries, and [also on] wider economic growth that advertising plays a key role in driving.” 

An estimated US$255 million (£200 million) is spent annually on junk food TV ads in the UK, according to Kadence International. The market research firm explains that these “upcoming restrictions could reduce TV advertising revenue by as much as 50% for HFSS brands.” It also cites a study by Enders Analysis predicting that total TV and online advertising revenue could drop by US$190 million ( £150 million) once the ban is fully implemented. “This decline is expected to hit commercial broadcasters the hardest, as prime-time ad slots will no longer be available to HFSS brands, and they will need to fill those spots with lower-revenue advertisers.” 

Instead of a ban, the Advertising Association recommends the government look at implementing “holistic policies” that address the true causes of obesity, including consumers not having a lot of money to spend on more wholesome food, which is often priced higher. 

Image courtesy of Pixzolo Photography via Unsplash.