A New Plan to Tackle Junk Food Ads Online

The UK's Health and Care Act (2022) has a bold plan to tackle junk food ads online. This plan is set to start in 2025. It aims to ban paid ads for foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) online. The goal is to protect kids from being influenced by these ads. But will it work? Experts have mixed feelings about it. Eight experts from around the world were interviewed to understand the potential impact of this ban. They looked at how the ban might affect online ads for HFSS foods. They found that while the ban is a big step forward, it has some major flaws. For example, it doesn't cover all types of digital marketing. Brand marketing and ads within entertainment content are not included. This means companies could still find ways to promote junk food online. The experts also pointed out that virtual and augmented reality could become new spaces for food marketing. These technologies are growing fast, and the ban doesn't address them. This could make the ban less effective over time. Another big issue is monitoring and enforcement. The experts said that technical problems could make it hard to track and enforce the ban. This could make the whole plan ineffective. So, what's the solution? The experts recommend clear regulations with strong enforcement. They also suggest that governments should set these rules instead of relying on industry self-regulation. This could help make the ban more effective and protect kids from junk food ads online. The UK's plan is unique and could set a global example. But it needs to be improved to be truly effective. The experts' insights could help shape better policies worldwide. The key is to address the flaws and make sure the ban can keep up with changing technology.