TfL Could Ban Junk Food Adverts From The Tube

Will Noble
By Will Noble Last edited 70 months ago

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TfL Could Ban Junk Food Adverts From The Tube
Stock Footage Guy is not happy about this

Lower that Big Mac from your face for a sec, we've something to tell you.

As part of his draft London Food Strategy, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has mooted a ban of junk food across the entire TfL network, in a bid to thwart the 'ticking timebomb' of child obesity.

According to the mayor's office, London has one of the highest child overweight and obesity rates in Europe, with almost 40% of children aged 10 and 11 overweight or obese — something that Khan believes is a 'scandal'.

Says Khan:

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. That is why I'm proposing to ban adverts for harmful junk food from our entire Tube and bus network.

If the plans do develop, there will some questions for TfL and the mayor to ask themselves: What, for instance, constitutes junks food? Alongside all those McDonald's ads lined up in Leicester Square station, we can think of plenty of 'posh burger' ads elsewhere on the network. Is that junk food too? And if junk food ads are banned, shouldn't we be banning ads for alcohol as well? All food for thought, as TfL continues struggling to balance the budget.

As part of the London Food Strategy, Khan has also proposed a ban on new hot food takeaways opening within 400 metres of schools. Think all this is a great idea, or a load of junk? You can read and contribute to the consultation here.

Last Updated 11 May 2018