Londoners buy less junk food due to ad restrictions on TfL network

• New research shows households buying 1,000 fewer calories per week from high fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) foods - equivalent to the average Londoner buying one and half less chocolate bars (385 calories) per week.
• Chocolate and confectionery saw the biggest fall; on average households purchased 20 per cent fewer calories from chocolate and confectionery as a result of the restrictions.
• Mayor and Transport for London introduced advertising restrictions to help tackle child obesity, as 45 per cent of London’s 10 and 11 year olds are overweight or obese.

Londoners are buying less junk food each week in response to the Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London’s ground-breaking restrictions on junk food advertising across the entire TfL network, a new study has found.

The Mayor directed TfL to introduce the junk food advertising restrictions in February 2019 to help tackle child obesity in the capital after extensive consultation with stakeholders and detailed research evidence.

New research from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) used data from two million grocery purchases of high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) food products to examine the effect of the policy. It found households purchased 1,000 less calories from HFSS products per week, a reduction of 6.7 per cent. Chocolate and confectionery saw the sharpest decrease with weekly purchases falling by 318 calories, a 20 per cent reduction. Overall, Londoners were on average buying the equivalent of just under one and a half milk chocolate bars less per week.

The Government’s Sugary Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), which was widely considered a success, showed a reduction in sugar purchases of 32g per week. In this latest study, the Mayor of London's advertising restrictions are shown to have had more than double the impact, with a reduction on sugar purchases of 80.7g per week. The research team looked at a sample of household food and drink purchases in London and the North of England - where purchasing trends are similar to London but restrictions were not implemented - and conducted a wide range of tests to assess other factors which may have had a bearing on food purchases. When all this was taken into account there was strong evidence that the changes in household purchases in London were a result of the Mayor’s policy.

The restrictions, which received overwhelming support from Londoners in a public consultation prior to launching, cover all adverts for food and non-alcoholic drinks high in fat, or sugar and considered “less healthy” under Public Health England guidelines. Examples of products that would likely not be accepted include sugary drinks, cheeseburgers, chocolate bars and salted nuts, while unsalted nuts, raisins and sugar free drinks would likely be accepted. Food and drink brands, restaurants, takeaways and delivery services are only able to place adverts which promote their healthier products, rather than simply publicising brands.

Three years in, the policy has seen food and drink advertisers continuing to advertise on the TfL estate by promoting their healthier products. This shift has not only transformed the types of food and drink being advertised, but through engagement with the industry, TfL’s commercial media revenue actually increased by £2.3m during the first year of the policy**.

London has one of the highest child overweight and obesity rates in Europe, with nearly a third (30 per cent) of the capital's children aged 10 and 11 overweight or obese. Children living in the most deprived areas are disproportionately affected and are more than twice as likely to be obese than those living in the least deprived areas. A 2021 BMJ Open study* revealed that adults in lower socioeconomic groups and young adults are more likely be exposed to HFSS advertising.

The restrictions form part of Sadiq’s commitment to addressing child obesity and closing the health inequality gap. This includes London’s Child Obesity Taskforce which he set up to effect a step change for all children across London, especially those who face the most challenging circumstances. The Taskforce’s vision is that every child in London grows up in a community and an environment that supports their health and weight.

Further to these findings, City Hall has commissioned a Healthy Food Advertising Policy Toolkit to be shared with local authorities, with the aim of building on the success of these restrictions at a local level. The Toolkit, developed by partner Sustain, will help inform and support policy initiatives across London councils to reduce junk food advertising and is part of work being undertaken by the ‘Healthy Place, Healthy Weight’ recovery mission.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It is a scandal that London has such high levels of child obesity and, that in a city as prosperous as ours, where you live and the amount you earn can have such a huge bearing on whether you have access to healthy and nutritious food.

“There is no denying that advertising plays an enormous role in putting less healthy food and drink in the spotlight, and I am pleased to see the positive impact these groundbreaking measures have had, leading to a real reduction in the amount of junk food being purchased.

“I am determined to continue this work, starting with providing local councils the support they need to help effect change at a local level, so Londoners’ lives can be improved and the burdens on our overstretched heath service reduced.”

Professor Steven Cummins, from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Chief Investigator of the study, said: “More work is needed, but our study suggests these types of policies could have a significant impact on reducing consumption of high fat, salt and sugar foods, and offer a potentially effective intervention in other important public health policy areas such as the regulation of alcohol and gambling advertising.”

Jamie Oliver said: "We championed this policy right from the start, and were thrilled when Sadiq and his team took this brave leap in the right direction. It's great to see today's crystal clear evidence that taking junk food ads off London's buses, tubes and trains means Londoners consume fewer calories each week. This brilliant policy is popular with the public, and businesses were quick to adapt and simply promoted healthier products from their ranges. Now it's time for Boris Johnson to put child health above short term political manoeuvring. He must deliver on his obesity strategy in full, including his own promise to restrict junk food ads on TV and online, so the whole country can benefit."

Chris Reader, Head of Commercial Media at TfL, said: “This study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine helps demonstrate that restricting advertisements featuring products that are high in fat, salt and sugar can have a positive effect on people’s health and food consumption. This policy formed an important part of the Mayor’s ambition to improve the health of Londoners and reduce childhood obesity through the London Food Strategy, and supports the work TfL does to make our city a better place through encouraging people to choose more healthy ways of travelling around the city.”

Dr Tom Coffey OBE, Mayoral Health Advisor, said: “It is simply unfair that London’s children and families are exposed to food advertisements that do not support their health. This evaluation shows that this world leading policy works, and has brought us one step closer to the Mayor’s vision that by 2025, all London’s families will find it easier to eat healthy food and be active where they live, learn, shop, work and play."

Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director for public health, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, said: “Two years after consulting the public, stakeholders and subsequently implementing the innovative policy restricting on junk food advertising, it is really encouraging to see the real-life impact of promoting healthier options in Londoners’ food choices.

While this progress is to be celebrated, London still has some of the highest child obesity rates in Europe. We know that children living in the most deprived parts of the city are more than twice as likely to be obese than those living in the least deprived areas, and this must change.

We continue working to deliver our vision for every Londoner to live as healthy a life as possible, in environments and communities that promote positive health choices with access to advice and resources to support this.”

Barbara Crowther, Co-ordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign said: “We’re delighted to see that the Mayor of London's healthier food advertising policy is working as intended and is helping to stem the tide of junk food advertising that constantly nudges us towards less healthy options. It acts as an incentive to business to produce and put healthier options into the spotlight instead, and to play their part in making London a healthier city for us all, and especially children. The research offers further valuable insight and evidence that we hope will also give confidence to other regional and national policy makers: healthy food advertising regulations do work and have a role to play in supporting healthier food choices.”

Chair of the London Food Board, Claire Pritchard said: “I am delighted that the evaluation shows this groundbreaking policy has had such a significant and positive impact on London’s food environment and our food choices. The advertising restrictions stemmed from ​commitment in the London Food Strategy and built on the work of boroughs and other partners across London. These findings demonstrate the difference that can be made when we work in conjunction with public health partners and design and implement policies to improve dietary outcomes and address health inequalities. I would urge the Government to follow the Mayor of London’s lead and ensure that similar policies are applied nationally so that we can turn start turning the tide against obesity.”

Dr Camilla Kingdon, President, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health: “We’ve seen a sharp rise in childhood obesity over the pandemic with children in the most deprived communities hardest hit. Given the far-reaching health effects of obesity, this stores up huge problems for the future and further widens unacceptable health inequalities.

These results show the welcome impact restrictions on junk food marketing can have. Nationally, it is important that the UK Government remains committed to a ban on junk food marketing with a 9pm watershed on TV and a total ban online”.

Kath Dalmeny, Chief Executive of Sustain and Member of the London Food Board, said: “What a momentous win for children’s health! The news that the Mayor of London’s Healthier Food Advertising policy works will be game-changing in London and across the UK. This research proves that when the spotlight is taken off junk food, we buy less of it. This can help us make more room in our minds and shopping baskets for healthier foods and drinks. It is also good news that the policy does not affect advertising revenues, supporting the case for regional and national governments to implement these restrictions. We look forward to working with them to do so.”

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “This research joins numerous other studies that show restrictions to junk food marketing are a useful tool in reducing obesity – the second biggest preventable cause of cancer. I urge the Government to listen to the evidence and fully commit to its ‘war on cancer’ by introducing their planned national restrictions to junk food advertising and promotions as soon as possible.”

James Toop, CEO Bite Back 2030 said: “It should be easy for all of us to eat healthily - it isn't. The system is rigged against us, flooding our world with junk food and then putting billions into marketing that makes it impossible to resist. These findings clearly show why we must make it much harder for companies to act in ways that make sure junk food is playing a starring role in children's minds. It is clear that restricting advertising works. It demonstrates that leadership on this does protect child health."

Bite Back 2030's London Youth Board Chair Becky Odoi, who is 16 also said: “As young people, we feel that being bombarded with junk food advertising all day long is bad for our health. These findings are proof that if you take away the adverts, people buy less junk food. We hope more cities will now follow London’s example and take steps to push junk food off stage and focus on shining a light on healthy options instead. Young people feel overwhelmed by the pressures of advertising and the brave measures introduced by the Mayor are a welcome example of how we can all work together to protect the health and futures of millions of children.”

Last year, the Mayor also pledged to restrict gambling advertising on the Tube due to the devastating effects that addiction can have. Transport for London is currently assessing how such restrictions could be implemented and will be engaging with a range of stakeholders before any final decisions are taken.

ENDS