Government confirms ban on pre-watershed junk food TV ads from October 2025

The government will also introduce a total ban on paid-for online advertising for junk food products. 

The previous Conservative government had previously pledged to introduce the watershed from January 2023, but later delayed the ban until 2025. 

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday( 12th September), public health minister Andrew Gwynne said: "These restrictions will help protect children from being exposed to advertising of less healthy food and drinks, which evidence shows influences their dietary preferences from a young age."

The government has published its response to the 2022 consultation on the draft secondary legislation on advertising restrictions for products high in fat, salt or sugar. The response defines the products, businesses and services affected by the restrictions to be included in the final secondary legislation.

Advertising industry representatives welcomed the certainty and clarity of the announcement, but highlighted the need for final guidance for the sector.

Richard Lindsay, director of legal and public affairs, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), said: “It has been public knowledge since 2022 that these advertising restrictions would come into effect in October next year, so this recent announcement is not new news, though certainty for the industry is welcome. With the law underpinning the restrictions so vague, we had repeatedly asked the previous government to respond to its consultation of two years ago on regulations intended to clarify some elements of the restrictions, and the new government has at last issued that response. Those regulations still need to be finalised and guidance issued so that industry is able to make sure its ads comply.”

A spokesperson for the Advertising Association said: “Although the policy is not new, the advertising industry has long-awaited clarity over the restrictions and we welcome the minister providing more information in his statement. It is vital that we now have the final guidance and legislation published as soon as possible to give certainty to business.

“While the evidence shows that advertising bans will have little effect on childhood obesity, the confirmation of these restrictions will help bring the certainty that our sector has been asking for ahead of their implementation in October 2025.”