Canada is taking steps to limit the promotion of unhealthy foods and drinks on television and digital media. The government plans to change legislation that would restrict advertising of products containing excess sodium, sugar or saturated fat. The proposed restrictions would apply to companies advertising food and beverages to children, including food and beverage manufacturers, producers, and importers, retailers and restaurants, as well as advertising and marketing agencies. Health Canada, the country’s government health regulator, hopes that the restrictions will reduce the risk of children and adults developing diet-related chronic diseases such as obesity. A draft piece of legislation is expected to go to public consultation in 2024.
According to Health Canada, most children are exposed to advertisements for fast food, snacks, sugary drinks, desserts, and sugary cereals at least once a week. On average, Canadian children and teenagers viewed over 1,700 food and beverage ads on television in 2019, equivalent to nearly five adverts per hour. Last year, Canada announced that front-of-package nutrition symbols for products high in saturated fat, sugars, or sodium would be mandatory.
Heart & Stroke, a Canadian charity focused on advocacy, education, and research around heart disease and stroke, welcomed the proposed advertising restrictions. Heart & Stroke CEO Doug Roth said that «kids are bombarded with ads for unhealthy food and beverages everywhere they turn – from websites and social media to product packaging and retail settings – and they deserve to be protected.»
In contrast, the UK’s similar restrictions on advertising high-fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) products have been delayed. Curbs on buy-one-get-one-free deals and TV and online advertising for HFSS products were due to be introduced in April 2022, but have been postponed until October 2023 and October 2025, respectively. In March, the adviser behind the UK government’s National Food Strategy, Henry Dimbleby, resigned after criticising The Conservative Party for failing to address the issue of diet-related disease.