In response to the increasing rates of childhood obesity in the town, Luton Council has announced a ban on advertisements for unhealthy food from most of its council-owned property. The new policy prohibits the display of ads promoting items high in fat, salt, and sugar on billboards, lampposts, screens, and roundabouts.
The primary aim of this move, according to the council, is to safeguard the well-being of children and adults alike. Labour councillor Khtija Malik, who serves as the portfolio holder for public health, emphasized the significance of this initiative in combatting the town’s elevated levels of obesity among young children. Ms. Malik stated, “It’s really important that you start building some of these habits earlier on, and advertising has quite a lot of impact on how people choose what they want to eat.” She further described the ban as an initial step towards eliminating such advertisements from billboards and other advertising platforms.
However, the council did note that unhealthy food ads may still appear on bus shelters until 2027 due to the existing advertising contract. Despite this limitation, the council remains committed to exercising control over its assets and the content that is promoted through them.
Highlighting the need for this measure, the council referenced data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). The figures revealed that in Luton, 11.4% of four to five-year-old children (reception age) and 29.2% of children aged 10-11 (Year 6) were obese, compared to national rates of 10.1% and 23.4%, respectively.
Fran Bernhardt, the children’s food campaign coordinator at Sustain, praised Luton Council’s decision, stating, “Luton Council has stood up to the food and drinks industry on behalf of all their residents.” Bernhardt emphasized that individuals residing in socioeconomically deprived areas are particularly affected by unhealthy food advertising and face a higher risk of diet-related diseases.
With this ban on unhealthy food ads, Luton Council is taking a proactive stance to address childhood obesity and promote healthier dietary choices among its residents.
