In the UK, restrictions on fast-food advertisements have come into force as part of the fight against childhood obesity.
Modern.az reports that, according to a press release issued by the UK Ministry of Health, the broadcasting of fast-food advertisements on television channels is now prohibited until 21:00, and such advertisements are completely banned on the internet.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will oversee compliance with the new rules. The restrictions apply to 13 categories of products high in fat, sugar, and salt. Although the ban officially came into force at the beginning of this week, a large part of the advertising industry had been voluntarily complying with these requirements since October.
The impact of the rules is already being felt in advertising content. The first Christmas advertisements broadcast in the UK feature fruits and vegetables instead of traditional sweets and puddings. At the same time, some products previously considered healthy have also been included in the restriction list. These include “any type of sandwiches”, pretzels, and products primarily sold in the breakfast cereals section.
According to the expectations of the competent authorities, the new rules will enable a reduction in annual calorie intake among children by 7.2 billion calories, a decrease in the number of children suffering from obesity by approximately 20,000, and savings of nearly 2 billion pounds sterling for the healthcare system in the long term. The Ministry reminded that 22.1 percent of primary school-aged children in England are overweight or suffer from obesity, and this figure rises to 35.8 percent by the time they finish school.
