Banning junk food adverts before 9pm will cut just two calories a day from children’s diets — equal to less than half a Smartie
Ministers are planning on removing all ads of food high in fat, sugar and salt in a bid to combat the nation’s obesity crisis
BANNING junk food ads before 9pm will cut just two calories a day from kids’ diets — equal to less than half a Smartie.
Ministers plan to axe the promos from TV and websites during the day in a bid to tackle the nation’s obesity crisis.
Health campaigners back the move, saying children are exposed to “relentless” adverts for food high in fat, sugar and salt. But the Government’s own research shows the controversial policy will shave just 2.28 calories a day off a child’s diet.
The advertising industry called the figure a “drop in the ocean”.
A previous study for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport revealed kids see only 1.5 junk food ads online each week and fewer than 20 seconds of the ads on telly a day.
The Government could impose the watershed after consultation on the issue ends in June.
'DROP IN THE OCEAN'
Firms would then only be able to promote the products between 9pm and 5.30am.
Ministers have also consulted on plans to ban shops offering buy- one-get-one-free deals on junk food and free refills on sugary drinks.
This would save children a mere eight calories a day, or less than one Malteser, the Department of Health’s impact assessment reveals.
The Sun Says
THE Government itself now knows its “nanny state” bullying over our diets will have zero impact on obesity.
The Sun has long argued that education and exercise are infinitely more important and effective than destructive bans and taxes. Not only were we right, but the Department of Health plainly must now accept it too.
The Government’s own estimates show that outlawing TV junk food ads before 9pm will cut just two calories a day from a kid’s diet. Two! Half a Smartie. A minuscule fraction of the 2,000 a day a ten-year-old takes in.
Banning buy-one-get-one-free deals on snacks and fizzy drinks would save eight calories a day. Moving “junk food” away from checkouts? Nine.
These are negligible amounts, even added together.
And they lay bare the arrogant folly of a Conservative Party which, in its panic over obesity and NHS resources, has surrendered to the middle-class public health zealots who spend their lives tut-tutting at working people’s grub.
They imposed a tax on sugary drinks despite no firm evidence that it has cut obesity in any country which has tried it. It didn’t work there. It won’t here.
Nor is there any basis to believe banning fast food ads on the Tube will reduce one single person’s weight. It’s a theory. A hunch. Feeble politicians deciding “something must be done”.
Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies wants new taxes on chocolate and crisps. She must now be ignored. Tory nanny-statism has NO measurable benefits but does substantial harm.
It saddles everyone with higher shopping bills. It damages food businesses. It earns the Government a reputation for obsessive interference in our lives which should never be a Tory trait.
Few except Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss seem to grasp it. But if a new generation of Tory politicians is keen to take power they had better join her on the right side of this argument.
Because it’s all very well them trying to attract younger voters.
They won’t have a prayer if they still insist on being meddling busybodies and the enemies of personal choice.
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And banning shops from placing unhealthy food near store entrances and checkouts would save nine calories a day, fewer than two Skittles.
Enforcing all of the measures would save 19 calories a day — a tenth of a Cadbury Creme Egg.
Advertising Association chief Stephen Woodford, said: “Encouraging children to lead more active lifestyles would be a far better way to tackle obesity than a ban on advertising that pays for popular shows we all enjoy.”
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