Government set to ban junk food adverts before 9pm to tackle obesity

Boris Johnson is set to unveil new plans next week to ban junk food adverts on TV before the watershed as well as online.

The news comes as it was revealed obese people are more likely to die from coronavirus due to an array of complicated reasons. Experts explain that obese people have a ‘weakened immune system’ and that is also hard to ventilate people with higher body weight.

The Sun reports that supermarkets and shops could also be prohibited from advertising unhealthy food and drink in their stores in the new plans. There will also be restrictions on marketing for food and drinks high in fat and sugar such as milkshakes and chocolates. 

The new obesity strategy is set to be unveiled on Monday in a bid to get Britain fit. 

According to The Sun, Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock are hoping the ban on marketing will help people ‘make better choices’. 

The plans will also reportedly impact deals and offer on unhealthy foods and drinks such as buy one get one free.

The plans have not been received well by everyone with some explaining it will damage an already strained economy.

Chief Executive of the Advertising Association, Stephen Woodford, said: “Speculation that the Government intends to introduce bans on high fat, salt & sugar (HFSS) advertising would be in direct conflict with its own evidence that such restrictions would have minimal impact on obesity levels.

“These measures, if introduced, would have significant economic impact at a time when the economy is already under strain due to COVID-19, with thousands of jobs under threat across the UK’s media, advertising, food and retail sectors.

“The Government must reconsider any proposals which could damage the recovery, jobs, and people’s livelihoods, just at the very moment everyone is working so hard to recover.”