MADRID, 24 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The UK Government will ban advertisements for foods high in sugar, fat or salt on television before 9:00 pm, in an attempt to promote healthy habits among children and combat obesity.
The Secretary of State for Public Health, Jo Churchill, has warned that the audiovisual content that children consume “may have an impact on the decisions they make and the habits they adopt”, which is why she sees it necessary to tighten the regulation both in linear television as on demand.
The authorities estimate that these restrictions could eliminate up to 7.2 billion calories from the diet in the United Kingdom and reduce the number of obese children by more than 20,000. Currently, one in three children who complete primary school are overweight.
The government of Boris Johnson last year considered a total ban on ads for unhealthy food, but has finally chosen a middle ground after opening a public consultation in which almost eight out of ten people were in favor of establishing a species of children’s schedule.
When the reform comes into force, in principle at the end of 2022, between 5.30 am and 9.00 pm it will not be possible to broadcast advertisements for chocolate, soft drinks, ice cream, cookies, sugary juices, breakfast cereals, chips or pizzas, among other products. The standard will not affect natural products such as olive oil, honey or avocado, nor will it affect companies with fewer than 250 employees,
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