The end for "sweet" commercials?

Calorie bombs on TV: advertising ban under scrutiny

Advertising for sweet temptations or unhealthy foods – British television is putting a stop to it (symbolic image).(Bild: Drobot Dean - stock.adobe.com)

The fact that in the UK, no incentives to reach for chocolate, candy, and other sweets are allowed to flicker across the screen is now triggering a heated discussion about "sweet" commercials here in Austria as well...

London, early evening. The remote control is at the ready, the children are still sitting in front of the TV—but something is missing. No melting chocolate, no colorful sodas, no cheerfully dancing chips. Recently, the United Kingdom banned advertising for foods that are too sweet, too salty, or too fatty before 9 p.m. It is completely banned on the internet.

Fighting obesity
The government is pulling the emergency brake in the fight against childhood obesity. The move comes as no surprise. Thirty-six percent of ten- to eleven-year-olds in the UK are overweight or obese, and the figure for adults is 61 percent. One in ten children is obese by the age of four, and one in five children has tooth decay by the age of five. For the National Health Service (NHS), this is a warning sign.

Advertising for sweet temptations or unhealthy foods – British television is putting a stop to it (symbolic image).(Bild: Drobot Dean - stock.adobe.com)

I don't believe that poor nutrition can be solved with bans alone. Parents play a crucial role as role models.

Bildungsexperte Dr. Andreas Salcher

Bild: Martin A. Jöchl

The UK has already tried many things. In 2018, a sugar tax was introduced and later extended to milkshakes and ready-made coffee drinks from refrigerated shelves. In addition, there were bans on "two-for-one" and "three-for-two" promotions for sweets and fatty foods. However, the desired effect did not materialize.

An advertising ban definitely helps! It reduces temptations before bedtime and stops children from succumbing to temptations.

Primarius Friedrich Hoppichler

Bild: Andreas Tröster

The clear assessment of Professor Hoppichler, head physician at the Barmherzige Brüder hospital in Salzburg and director of the SIPCAN Institute: "I believe that the advertising ban definitely has an impact! In any case, more than the sugar tax. In the UK, it didn't do much good. Children actually gained weight. The industry replaced sweets with sweeteners. So the sweetness of a drink hasn't changed at all. And scientific studies show that sweeteners can cause weight gain, and even carcinogenic effects have been described with high consumption."

Portion size and environment are the leverage
Hoppichler emphasizes that in practice, portion size and the daily environment are the key factors. His institute reaches around 250,000 students at 1,200 educational institutions. Programs such as "Smart Drinking," snack licenses, and buffet initiatives show that prevention works when children learn what they eat and what is enough.

We do not rely on blanket advertising bans, but on cooperation with food retailers and genuine education.

Ministerin Korinna Schumann

Bild: Eva Manhart

The British approach starts where the craving arises: with advertising. No sweet temptations during prime time, no constant digital bombardment for children. In Austria, a different, more practical approach is being pursued. Instead of blanket advertising bans, the focus is on cooperation with food manufacturers, health promotion through education, improved health literacy, and better conditions in schools and kindergartens.

VAT reduction on healthy foods 
A reduction in VAT on healthy foods is intended to provide incentives. In the UK, calculations have been made of what the package could achieve: up to 70 billion fewer calories per year, around 20,000 fewer cases of obesity, and savings for the NHS of more than two billion euros. Leading physician Hoppichler sums it up: "Healthy eating begins where children make decisions every day – when drinking, when snacking." Education expert Andreas Salcher calls on parents to take responsibility: "They are responsible for their children's health."