Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Advertising Ban: Fat, Sugar and Salt

Thursday 5 November 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government published an impact assessment considering health benefits and costs of banning HFSS advertising.
  • The risk of displacement is acknowledged, where restricting advertising in one area may shift it to another.
  • The Government plans to publish a response to the consultation by the end of the year and hold a short consultation soon.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alun Cairns Con
Context

An assessment of the potential effectiveness of banning advertisements for products high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) online and on television.

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential effectiveness of the proposal to ban the advertisement of products high in fat, sugar, and salt online and on television?

Answer from John Whittingdale

The Government published an impact assessment alongside the 720 consultation on HFSS advertising that considered both the health benefits and the costs. We will publish the Government's response to that consultation by the end of this year, and hold a short consultation as soon as possible on a total ban for advertising online.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific effectiveness of the HFSS advertising ban was not directly assessed in terms of health benefits or costs.

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Q2 Alun Cairns Con
Environment
Context

Concern over the potential displacement effects of restricting HFSS advertising and ensuring a consistent regulatory approach across all platforms.

Question

No one would question the Government's wish to reduce childhood obesity, but influencing this is a hugely complicated task that the Government should take time over. The proposal to restrict advertising products that are high in fat, salt and sugar brings the risk of displacement. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that any ban will not come into force until all factors have been properly considered, and that any strategy regime will hold online platforms to the same restrictions as broadcasters, along with similar sanctions?

Answer from John Whittingdale

My right hon. Friend himself is an advertisement for the benefits of healthy living, and he is absolutely right to draw attention to the risk that, by imposing measures in one area, one may simply displace advertising into another. That is why the Government have been absolutely plain that restrictions on post-watershed advertising on broadcasting will come into effect at the same time as a ban on HFSS advertising online.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The MP's specific concerns about thorough consideration and equal application of sanctions were not fully addressed.

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