Government delays the ban for TV adverts on high fat, salt and sugar

The government will delay the ban to TV advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) before 9pm until January 2026.

The ban was due to come into effect from October, but ministers now will make amendments to the legislation to make sure that brand only advertising does not show HFSS products.

The British Retail Consortium and the and the Advertising Association have committed to ban such adds from 1 October, the restrictions will now happen on 5 January.

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.”

Speaking to 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.”