Council introduce healthier food and drink advertising

Cheshire West and Chester Council has become the third local authority in the north west of England to restrict unhealthy food and drinks adverts in its area.

The new measures, developed with Sustain, a national alliance working to improve access to healthy food, have been introduced to improve the health of local citizens through swapping images of unhealthy food and non-alcoholic drinks for healthier options.

This policy will be in place across all advertising platforms owned by the Council, including new digital screens at bus shelters.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is the thirteenth local authority to bring in a Healthier Food Advertising Policy, after the Mayor of London first brought in the policy across the Transport for London network in 2019. Knowsley and Sefton councils were the first to implement measures in the north west.

It is widely recognised that rates of diet-related ill health, particularly obesity, amongst both adults and children is a serious public health issue. Data from the latest National Child Measurement Programme show rates of overweight and obesity in Cheshire West and Chester have risen, going against the decreasing regional and national trends. In Reception-aged children, one in five (21.1%) are living with overweight or obesity, rising to one in three (34.7%) of Year Six children and two-thirds (65.4%) of adults.

Adverts often promote high fat, salt and sugar food and drink as part of a normal diet, with marketing frequently targeted at young people and associated with fun cartoon characters or toy collections.

Research highlights that these types of adverts are promoted more in areas of high deprivation to residents already experiencing poorer health,  which widens health inequalities.

Implementing this policy shows the Council’s commitment to a fairer future for all residents, with a focus on improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. Research shows that the policy will impact positively on people of all ages, helping them to make healthier food and drink choices, impacting on their long-term health.

Cllr Lisa Denson, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet Member for a Fairer Future (Poverty, Public Health and Mental Health), said:

“We are particularly concerned about the recent increase in childhood overweight and obesity and the impact that advertising for this type of food and drink has on children.

“This policy is a really important step and demonstrates the Council's commitment to this agenda and to reducing health inequalities.”

Professor Helen Bromley, Director of Public Health at the Council, added:

“In Cheshire West and Chester, we are working on various ways to support residents to eat well and be active and this policy is just one example of this.

“We recognise how important it is that our residents have access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food and the opportunity to be active in ways in which they enjoy, helping them live healthier lives.”