Latest news with #LHF
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Major change to TV ban on junk food adverts before 9pm
The plans had been due to be implemented in October but a four-month pause will now take place to allow officials to work on clearer guidelines on the restrictions Plans to ban TV adverts for junk food before 9pm will be delayed until January next year. Ministers will also change the legislation so that brand-only advertising, which does not show specific products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), is not caught under the rules. The plans had been due to be implemented in October. It is understood that a four-month pause will now allow the Department of Health and the Advertising Standards Authority to work on a clearer interpretation of the restrictions. This is despite many retailers, including major grocers, previously committing to a voluntary October start. The restrictions will now legally take effect on January 5. Regardless, key industry stakeholders including ITV, Channel 4, the Advertising Association and the British Retail Consortium, have committed to complying with the restrictions from October 1. The decision comes amid concerns raised by retailers and broadcasters about the impact of the ban and confusion over the rules. In April, the Government was forced to reassure businesses that pure brand messages are not "in scope" of the upcoming ban. Speaking at the Retail Technology Show earlier this year, M&S chairman Archie Norman said the government's new HFSS advertising rules "probably mean we can't run a Christmas ad", due to many festive foods not adhering to HFSS guidelines. A Government spokesman said: "Obesity robs children of the best start in life and sets them up for a lifetime of health problems, which costs the NHS billions. "We have secured a unique and public commitment from advertisers and broadcasters so that from October 1 2025, adverts for identifiable less healthy products will not be shown on TV before 9pm or at any time online, and this will be a legal duty from January 2026. "The junk food advertising restrictions on TV and online are a crucial part of our plan for change to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. By reducing children's exposure to junk food advertising, we will remove up to 7.2 billion calories from UK children's diets each year." An Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) spokesman said: "The Government has set out its intention to bring in amending legislation to push back the implementation date on LHF (less healthy food and drink) ad restrictions and to consult on changing the law on brand exemption. "We recognise the importance of this issue for a range of stakeholders, therefore, together with Ofcom, we will now carefully assess what this means for the process to develop and implement the rules and guidance and will provide a further update as soon as possible."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ban on TV adverts for foods high in fat, salt and sugar delayed until 2026
Government plans to ban TV advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) before 9pm will be delayed until January 2026, following concerns from food and media brands and confusion over enforcement guidelines. The delay to the ban, which was to have come into effect from October, comes as ministers prepare to amend legislation to ensure brand-only advertising, which does not show specific HFSS products, is not caught under the rules. Regardless, key industry stakeholders including ITV, Channel 4, the Advertising Association and the British Retail Consortium, have committed to complying with the restrictions from October 1. The restrictions will legally take effect on January 5. A Government spokesman said: 'Obesity robs children of the best start in life and sets them up for a lifetime of health problems, which costs the NHS billions. 'We have secured a unique and public commitment from advertisers and broadcasters so that from October 1 2025, adverts for identifiable less healthy products will not be shown on TV before 9pm or at any time online, and this will be a legal duty from January 2026. 'The junk food advertising restrictions on TV and online are a crucial part of our plan for change to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. By reducing children's exposure to junk food advertising, we will remove up to 7.2 billion calories from UK children's diets each year.' It is understood that a four-month pause will now allow the Department of Health and the Advertising Standards Authority to work on a clearer interpretation of the restrictions. This is despite many retailers, including major grocers, previously committing to a voluntary October 2025 start. An Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) spokesman said: 'The Government has set out its intention to bring in amending legislation to push back the implementation date on LHF (less healthy food and drink) ad restrictions and to consult on changing the law on brand exemption. 'We recognise the importance of this issue for a range of stakeholders, therefore, together with Ofcom, we will now carefully assess what this means for the process to develop and implement the rules and guidance and will provide a further update as soon as possible.' The decision comes amid concerns raised by retailers and broadcasters about the impact of the ban. In April, the Government was forced to reassure businesses that pure brand messages are not 'in scope' of the upcoming ban. However, it added that brands might have to be more creative in the way they showcase their food ranges. Addressing the House of Commons last month, health minister Ashley Dalton said, 'While it is for a court to interpret the legislation, the Government's view remains that pure brand advertising is not in scope of this policy. 'This is because the legislation only restricts adverts that could reasonably be considered to be for identifiable less healthy products, and not adverts that could be reasonably understood to be advertising brands. 'We therefore expect that businesses will still have opportunities to promote their brands, provided that their adverts do not identify a less healthy product.' Ms Dalton also said that the final interpretation of the junk food ad guidelines would be up to regulators, with the law providing 'considerable discretion' in how the new rules can be enforced. Speaking at the Retail Technology Show earlier this year, M&S chairman Archie Norman said the government's new HFSS advertising rules 'probably mean we can't run a Christmas ad', due to many festive foods not adhering to HFSS guidelines.
Business Mayor
21-05-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
Ministers to delay UK junk food advertising ban until next year
Unlock the Editor's Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. UK ministers are set to delay the implementation of rules that would ban unhealthy food advertising before 9pm in order to change guidance to allow brand marketing following heavy lobbying from the industry. The government has promised that children will no longer be exposed to adverts for junk food products before 9pm on TV — or at any time online — in an effort to tackle childhood obesity. But the rules were also set to potentially cover branded advertising — using company names, for example, even if unhealthy products were not shown — under guidance issued by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which write and enforce the advertising codes, respectively. On Thursday ministers are to announce that pure brand advertising should be excluded from the scope of the restrictions, according to three people with knowledge of the plans. They are expected to delay implementation of the rules to make changes so the ASA can act instead on the precise intention of the rules, the people said. The announcement will mean that food brands can continue to promote corporate social responsibility commitments or advertise healthier products once the rules come into force. The restrictions were due to take effect from October 1 but are now expected to be delayed until the new year. They cover adverts promoting products with high fat, salt or sugar, known as less healthy food (LHF). Read More UK Officials Call for TikTok Ban After New EU Restrictions One government official confirmed the legislation would be pushed back until January 5 after the ASA 'interpreted' the rules 'differently' to how ministers had intended and how they 'were originally portrayed'. The person added that all the main retailers had signed a letter agreeing to voluntarily implement the 9pm ban from October. Another government official confirmed there would be a 'four-month pause' while the legislation was amended. The ASA declined to comment. A Department of Health spokesperson said: 'Obesity robs children of the best start in life and sets them up for a lifetime of health problems, which costs the NHS billions. 'We have secured a unique and public commitment from advertisers and broadcasters so that from October 1 2025, adverts for identifiable less healthy products will not be shown on TV before 9pm or at any time online, and this will be a legal duty from January 2026.' In an update to a consultation on the rules in January, the CAP said the revised guidance was likely to clarify that for advertisers 'even if your ad does not explicitly refer to or feature an LHF product — it may still be restricted under law, where persons in the UK could reasonably be expected to be able to identify your ad as being for an LHF product or LHF products'. But consumer brands and retailers have opposed any extension of the rules to cover brands as well as products, with broadcasters warning of a material hit to their revenues at a time when the advertising market is weak. Marks and Spencer chair Archie Norman told the Financial Times in April that the plan to ban junk food advertising meant the retailer may not be able to justify the expense of a Christmas food advert, describing it as 'regulating to stop people talking about mince pies'. But a joint statement from the Advertising Association, Channel 4, ISBA, ITV, Paramount, and STV last month said the government had been clear that the law 'does not intend to (and does not in fact) prevent any food or drink brands from advertising'. The move is likely to outrage health campaigners who are concerned about allowing advertising for brands that are clearly associated with unhealthy food. The original legislation was proposed by Conservative government but delayed by former prime minister Rishi Sunak until 2025.
