13 ‘unhealthy foods' set to be banned from pre-watershed UK TV ads in 2025

In a bid to curb unhealthy eating habits that may lead to health-related complications, the UK Government has lined up an advertising ban for 13 different food categories that will see them disappear from pre-9pm programming.

The government’s press release on the matter detailed NHS data that found 9.2% of reception-age children are classified as obese, and 23.7% of children experience tooth decay related to sugar consumption.

Aiming to curb these issues in kids, it’s hoped that the advertising ban will limit children’s exposure to “less healthy” food options.

Whether it will have a material impact on the buying habits of the adults who care for them is another matter, but perhaps the ban will further encourage people to provide kids with more whole foods and fewer high-sugar snacks.

The ban will come into effect from 2025, with the following categories affected.

Soft drinks

Fruit-based beverages, carbonated drinks, milkshakes, hot chocolates, and even tea and coffee are set for the ban.

The NHS says that a single can of Coca-Cola can contain as many as nine sugar cubes’ worth of sugar, well above the daily recommended intake for adults.

Protein shakes and other drinks that get mixed with a powder have also fallen into the ban bracket, which will be devastating news for any kids looking to get jacked in time for starting Year 2.

Breakfast food

This one seems to be aimed at breakfast foods that are high in carbohydrates, with croissants, pain au chocolat and other pastries joining crumpets, scones, hot-cross buns, brioche, fruit loaves and pancakes.

Granola, muesli and ready-to-eat cereals like Belvita bars are also getting the advertising axe.

Even porridge oats are included in this one.

Ice cream

It seems that driving down the road and blaring the Match of the Day theme tune with a tinny speaker will be a rare avenue for daytime ice cream adverts, as those are getting the daytime telly ban too.

Non-dairy ice creams are also getting the boot, presumably because they too contain a fair amount of sugar.

Cakes

If it’s sold at a patisserie, it’s a no-go for pre-watershed TV adverts from October 2025.

Cake decorations and toppings are included in this category, too.

Confectionary

The cakes element probably wasn’t all too shocking, and this one won’t be either. Any sugary snack, whether it’s a packet of Haribo, popcorn, or even a protein bar will fall foul of the new advertising standards coming into force.

Biscuits and bars

Another non-shocker: biscuits, cookies and chocolate bars are also on the hit list.

In fact, any and all chocolate will be axed from pre-9pm TV, along with ice cream wafers, nut and seed bars, shortbreads, chocolate biscuits, rice cakes and corn cakes.

Savoury snacks

All manner of savoury snacks are up for the axe, although crisps are the big ticket item here.

Crackers, tortilla chips and Bombay spice mixes fall into this category, too.

Desserts

If it comes after a main course, it’s outta here. Pies, tarts, flans, cheesecakes, crumbles, sponge pudding, meringues, rice pudding, custard, trifles, and Christmas puddings all fall into this category.

Tinned fruit, cream and syrups have somehow managed to outmanoeuvre the ban.

Potato derivatives

The humble potato isn’t getting banned, but anything made with one is likely to go missing from daytime advertising. Smiley faces, roast potatoes, hash browns, fries and croquettes are all included here.

Ready meals

While many ready meals may not be quite as healthy as they used to be, Bupa still warns against their regular consumption.

And so they’re also included in the ban list. If it’s cooked in a microwave, odds are that it’s part of this cohort.

Packaged sandwiches, wraps, bagel and paninis are also considered to be junk food under this designation, so they’re for the chop too.

It doesn’t stop there, with many oven favourites included: fish fingers, kievs, and chicken nuggets, to name a few.

Yoghurt and fromage frais

All sweetened yoghurts are in the ban list, too. It doesn’t matter whether they’re dairy, non-dairy, fruit-based or fromage frais, they’re considered junk food under the government’s new ban.

However, if the yoghurt is a natural, unsweetened product, it’s good to go.

Pizza

Garlic bread and plain pizza bases have dodged the ban, but every other pizza is too hot for TV (before 9pm).

"Obesity robs our kids of the best possible start in life, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems, and costs the NHS billions,” said Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, in a statement on December 3rd 2024.

"This government is taking action now to end the targeting of junk food ads at kids, across both TV and online.

"This is the first step to deliver a major shift in the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention, and towards meeting our government’s ambition to give every child a healthy, happy start to life."