Junk food companies ‘are pouring millions’ into advertising products

NHS spending on obesity is soaring as junk food companies pour millions of pounds into advertising unhealthy products in the UK, a group of leading charities has warned.

The 18 top-spending crisp, confectionery and sugary drinks brands are paying out more than £143 million a year on advertising their products, according to analysis by the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), released to mark World Obesity Day.

The NHS meanwhile spends an estimated £38m a year on weight loss surgery as part of £5.1 billion on obesity-related conditions.

The millions spent on junk food advertising also “dwarfs” the £5.2m spent by the government last year on its flagship healthy eating programme, leading to an “unbalanced environment pushing consumers towards unhealthy choices”, the alliance of 40 leading health charities said.

Junk food brands are spending 27.5 times more on advertising their products than the amount available for the Government’s Change4life healthy eating campaign, whilenhsspendingonweight loss surgery alone is an estimated six times the amount spent on the Change4life campaign, according to the OHA’S analysis.

The OHA is calling on government to close existing loopholes to restrict children’s exposure to junk food marketing across all media, including on TV prior to the 9pm watershed.

It also wants marketing rules extended to cover sponsorship of sports, family attractions and marketing communications in schools.

OHA spokeswoman Caroline Cerny said: “Junk food companies are spending tens of millions of pounds a year on promoting their products.” Multi-award-winning equity release specialist Age Partnership can help homeowners decide if equity release is right for them, how much they can release and what impact it could have on the size of their estate including their entitlement to means-tested benefits now, or in the future. Equity release may involve a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan. To understand the features and risks, ask for a personalised illustration. You only continue to own your own home with a lifetime mortgage, which is secured against your property. They provide initial advice for free and without obligation. Only if you choose to proceed and your case completes would a typical fee of 2.2% of the amount released be payable.