Cancer Research UK calls for 9pm watershed on TV junk food advertising
Cancer Research UK is calling for a further crackdown on the marketing of junk food in response to soaring rates of obesity among millenials, advocating for a ban on adverts for foods high in fat and sugar prior to the 9pm watershed.
Obesity campaigners call for junk food ban to be extended
Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK’s director of prevention, said: “The government must play a part to help people make healthy food choices. We’re campaigning for a ban on junk food adverts before the 9pm watershed to protect young people from advertising tactics which all too often promote fattening foods.”
Researchers attribute rising instances of obesity to both greater availability of unhealthy food and devious marketing tactics by the industry.
The latest figures show that over a quarter of all UK adults are now classed as obese with a further two thirds of the population overweight.
Any move to further crackdown on fast food promotions is likely to be fiercely resisted by the industry with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo already standing accused of lobbying against new health regulations.
Non-broadcast junk food ads targeting children are already banned in the UK.