A clampdown on ‘junk food’ advertisements is set to take place in Reading in an effort to promote healthier living.
Reading Borough Council owns advertising space throughout the town, with its website boasting that its advertising space can help companies reach 200,000 road users and 40,000 pedestrians per day.
In a landmark move, the council is set to clamp down on advertising food and drinks with high fat, salt and sugar content.
The policy change was teased during a question-and-answer session at the last full council meeting on October 14.
Caroline Basden asked: “Junk food advertising has a real impact on the consumption of unhealthy food by both children and adults. I’m a mum of three young children myself, so I know how hard it is when they see an eye-catching advert.
“I also volunteer for a couple of local children’s charities and often speak to parents who feel this adds pressure to helping their children make healthy choices.”
She therefore asked what action the council is taking to counter this.
Her question was answered by Rachel Eden, the lead councillor for education and public health.
Councillor Eden (Labour, Whitley) said: I am pleased to be able to share with you something that many people, including my own children, are keen to see happen which is a change to the council’s advertising policy.
“I am proposing that we update the council’s advertising policy to prevent the advertising of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt.
“We won’t be banning brands, but companies will need to promote their healthy options.
“No one, certainly not me, needs telling that burgers and chips exist, so removing these adverts will put the power back in the hands of parents, and individuals themselves to make healthy choices and I hope all councillors on policy committee will support this measure.
Mrs Basden asked whether the restrictive advertising policy has been tried elsewhere and how it has worked.
Cllr Eden answered that Reading is the 26th out of 300 local authorities taking action.
She explained: “We won’t be the first, but we are one of the early adopters.
“The evidence from this that is most well-attested is from Transport for London (TfL), and they have seen some really strong evidence that it’s led to people choosing a healthier option, and the estimate from the Research Council is that it will lead to five per cent fewer people being obese than otherwise would have been the case.
“Now, I am aware there’s a lot more advertising on TfL than there is on council billboards etc and bus stops around town, so in order to get the maximum benefit for our town, I will be encouraging other organisations in our town to follow our lead and take similar action.
“It’s about making a change for our whole town.”
Mrs Basden is the Labour candidate for the Tilehurst ward for the local elections next year.
