Further advertising restrictions for products high in fat, salt and sugar
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
This document summarises the government response to:
- the 2019 consultation: Further advertising restrictions for products high in fat, salt and sugar
- the 2020 consultation: Total restriction of online advertising for products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS)
The government’s response confirms:
- at the end of 2022, it will simultaneously introduce a 9pm TV watershed for HFSS products and a restriction of paid-for HFSS advertising online
- all on-demand programme services (ODPS) under the jurisdiction of the UK, and therefore regulated by Ofcom, will be included in the TV watershed for HFSS advertising
- non-UK regulated ODPS will be included in the restriction of paid-for HFSS advertising online because they are outside UK jurisdiction
- these restrictions will be legislated for via the upcoming Health and Care Bill and will come into force at the end of 2022
Details on definitions, such as ‘paid-for’ and a list of products in scope, can be found in the consultation response.
Further detail on impact on equalities, rationale, costs and benefits can be found in the impact assessment and equalities impact assessment.
Original consultation
Consultation description
Our aim is to gather views on how the government can reduce children’s exposure to HFSS advertising, to reduce children’s overconsumption of these products.
We want any future advertising restrictions to be focused on HFSS products that are linked to childhood obesity. We also want to encourage brands to make their products healthier.
The consultation document outlines our proposals. The impact assessment considers what the costs to businesses and health benefits would be. We want your views on both documents.
Background
The proposed plans were set out in Childhood obesity: a plan for action, chapter 2.
An equality assessment was carried out ahead of this consultation and the government has also published the methodology of the DHSC calorie model.
To inform this consultation, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport appointed Kantar Consulting to conduct research into the levels of advertising to children of HFSS products on broadcast media and online.
Technical errors in the online consultation survey were fixed on Tuesday 19 March and Friday 12 April.
Please see the document below for more details.