It had been reported last week that the government was considering introducing a total ban on alcohol advertising in the UK, but the measure is absent from a new health plan released today.
The government is not introducing plans to ban alcohol advertising, despite reports that the move was in consideration just last week.
Today, the government released its ’10 Year Health Plan for England’, a document proposing a raft of measures designed to improve the day-to-day functioning of the health service.
The government is not introducing plans to ban alcohol advertising, despite reports that the move was in consideration just last week.
Today, the government released its ’10 Year Health Plan for England’, a document proposing a raft of measures designed to improve the day-to-day functioning of the health service.
One notable admission from the plan was any further restriction on the advertising of alcohol. Last week, Sky News, reported on leaked documents from the Department of Health and Social Care, outlining a potential plan to completely ban alcohol advertising within the UK.
According to polling from YouGov, most of the public are in favour of a partial ban on alcohol advertising. Almost two-thirds (65%) of Brits either strongly support or somewhat support a ban on brands advertising alcohol on TV before the 9pm watershed, according to the polling. Just 20% oppose the idea
Despite this, no new rules are contained in the health document, which does propose giving the government power to ensure alcohol labelling is clearer, but with no mention of the advertising of alcohol.
The health plan does address the advertising of vapes and nicotine products, proposing a bill that would ban the advertising and sponsorship of these products.
The bill would also restrict point of sale displays for nicotine products, as well as giving the government the power to restrict on packaging and flavours, in particular those that appeal to children.
As well as nicotine products, unhealthy food also falls within the scope of the plan. The previous government had pledged to restrict volume promotions on unhealthy food, including introducing a ban on ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ offers as part of laws around HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) food and drink; however, this had been delayed several times.
In the plan laid out today, the current government confirmed it would be introducing these restrictions on unhealthy food promotions from 1 October 2025.
That is the same date that advertisers will be asked to conform to new rules that ban the advertising of less healthy food online and from TV pre-9pm. The legal introduction of those laws has now been delayed until January 2026 to allow an exemption for brand advertising to be written in.
The industry has agreed to conform to the rules from October, even though they will not appear in law until January.
Given the long and tortuous process that has accompanied the [less healthy food] restrictions, it’s disappointing that further uncertainty is on the horizon.
Rob Newman, ISBA
The definition of “less healthy food” was another topic addressed in the health plan published by the government today.
“Current food and advertising and promotion restrictions use the 2004 nutrient profile model to categorise which foods are more or less healthy. This is plainly out of date, and we will update these standards,” it wrote in the plan.
Any change to this definition would alter the products that are in the scope of the less healthy food advertising rules, which are going to be introduced in October after a long process.
Proposed changes have the potential to add further confusion for advertisers, says ISBA’s director of public affairs, Rob Newman.
“Given the long and tortuous process that has accompanied the [less healthy food] restrictions, it’s disappointing that further uncertainty is on the horizon,” he says.
