The health minister reassures that porridge adverts won’t be banned, despite concerns over unhealthy food marketing.
London: So, the health minister, Andrew Gwynne, just made it clear that porridge ads aren’t going anywhere on our TV screens. He mentioned this while chatting in the Commons about how we’re all hit with ads for unhealthy foods all the time.
Dr. Caroline Johnson, a Conservative shadow health minister, shared some pretty shocking stats about kids’ weights. She talked about a 12-year-old who weighed over 120kg and a nine-year-old who was more than 95kg. That’s a lot for kids!
She also raised concerns about new advertising rules that aim to ban ads for less healthy foods during the day. Porridge is on the list of foods that could be affected, but Gwynne reassured everyone that most porridge products will be just fine.
He said that while some sugary or chocolatey versions might get caught up in the ban, the regular stuff we know and love will still be around. It’s all about what’s considered “less healthy” based on some old nutrition guidelines.
Gwynne pointed out that our genetics and willpower haven’t changed much over the years, but the food marketing landscape has. We’re just bombarded with ads for junk food now more than ever.
Other foods that might be affected by the new rules include sweetened yoghurts, cakes, and pizzas. Johnson brought up the whole debate about whether this is a “nanny state” issue or if people should have the freedom to choose what they eat.
She even referenced some classic candy ads, saying they definitely work. It’s interesting to think about how advertising has changed over the years and what it’s promoting now compared to back then.
Johnson feels the government’s approach to restricting junk food ads is a bit off. She pointed out that the NHS says porridge is a healthy breakfast, so it’s confusing why it would be lumped in with less healthy options.
