RCP welcomes introduction of junk food advertising regulations

Commenting on the new legislation, Dr Kath McCullough, special adviser on obesity at the Royal College of Physicians, said:

“After years of delay, government has taken a step in the right direction and challenged the previously unchecked advertising of junk food to children. The Royal College of Physicians has long called for these protections: children should not be constantly exposed to the aggressive marketing of unhealthy food and drink which influences and shapes diets, driving obesity.

“While these regulations go some way in shifting the balance away from commercial interests and back towards children’s health, we were disappointed to see industry successfully lobby for their watering down on brand advertising. It is not just junk food, but the well-known brands children associate them with that should have fallen under this legislation.

“The success of the restrictions coming into force today will rely on strong monitoring and enforcement. If the goal is to make real progress on childhood obesity and reduce pressure on the NHS, this cannot be the end point. There are a range of other things government must do: ending brand exemption and regulating against the very real risk that advertising simply migrates elsewhere, such as outdoors, leaving some children, particularly those in more deprived areas, no better protected. The regulations need to be strengthened and built on over the course of this Parliament, so that children are protected from unhealthy food and drink advertising wherever they encounter it.”