London Underground to consider ban on junk food adverts

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to ban junk food advertising on the entire Transport for London (TfL) network.

In a statement, Khan said he wants to tackle the “ticking time bomb” of child obesity in the capital, which was recently revealed to be among the highest in the country.

The Guardian reports that the ban would apply to advertisements that promote food and drink “high in salt, fat and sugar”. These will “no longer be accepted on tubes, buses and overground trains”. The proposed ban is currently in consultation, according to the site.

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The plans are part of a larger programme, dubbed the London Food Strategy, which aims to reduce the levels of child obesity in the capital by 2028. They also include a ban on new hot food takeaways opening within 400 metres of schools, the London Evening Standard writes.

Khan said of the programme: “It can’t be right that in a city as prosperous as London that where you live and the income you have can have a massive impact on whether you have access to healthy, nutritious food and your exposure to junk food advertising.

“I'm determined to do all I can to tackle this issue with the powers I have and help Londoners make healthy food choices for themselves and their families.”

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York and now a World Health Organisation global ambassador, has “applauded” the proposed advertising ban.

He says: “Obesity has become a global epidemic, and children face a lifetime of health problems unless we take bolder steps to confront it... This policy by Mayor Khan sets a great example that other cities can learn from.”