Government rules out ban on alcohol advertising
The Department of Health and Social Care said it is 'exploring options for partial restrictions'.
Officials are finalising the 10-Year Health Plan, which is expected in the coming weeks.
A draft version of the document, seen by Sky News, implied a total or partial ban on adverts for alcohol has been considered.
However, a total ban has now been ruled out.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'The 10-Year Health Plan will not include a ban on alcohol advertising.
'We are exploring options for partial restrictions to bring it closer in line with the advertising of unhealthy food.'
In 2024, the Government announced plans to ban TV adverts for junk food before 9pm from October, but this has since been delayed until the New Year.
Campaigners said a partial restriction on alcohol advertising is a 'real opportunity to move alcohol out of the spotlight'.
Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK, said: 'We must face facts: alcohol is a leading health polluter in the UK, affecting the quality of life and health of millions, while cutting too many lives short.
'Despite total consumption going down, alcohol harm is still going up.
'The status quo, including our far weaker advertising regulations compared to other countries, isn't working.
'Alcohol is everywhere: from sponsorship of prime-time TV shows and sporting events, highly visible advertising as we travel to and from work or school, and incessant online marketing that is almost impossible to turn off.
'All the while, endless associations between alcohol and relaxing, socialising, celebrating or commiserating have the effect of glamorising and normalising alcohol, falsely suggesting it is 'essential' to our lives.
'Too many children and young people are exposed to alcohol advertising, especially through sports sponsorship and online.
'This is totally unacceptable, and the public strongly supports action to protect our children from these tactics so they can enjoy an alcohol-free childhood as they grow and develop.
'Our kids should no longer be the collateral damage of alcohol marketing.
'Combined with wider measures to unlock better public health, reduce crime and strengthen our economy, we hope to see Government's 10-Year Health Plan and Health Mission Board on Alcohol address out-of-control industry advertising.
'This is a real opportunity to move alcohol out of the spotlight and reduce harm for millions of people.'
A spokesperson for Portman Group, which represents the alcohol industry, said it is not in favour of 'broad, sweeping measures that impact that moderate majority whilst ignoring the needs of those who drink at the most harmful levels'.
Last month, it emerged that Government plans to ban TV advertising for products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) before 9pm have been delayed until January 2026.
Ministers moved to amend the legislation to ensure brand-only advertising, which does not show specific HFSS products, is not caught under the rules.
The ban was initially scheduled to come into force in October, and the likes of ITV, Channel 4, the Advertising Association and the British Retail Consortium have committed to complying with the restrictions from October 1.
The restrictions will legally take effect on January 5.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Overweight Brits to get awarded shop vouchers for upping step count and eating healthily
The new measures are part of Labour's 10 Year Health Plan set to be unveiled on Thursday WEIGH TO GO Overweight Brits to get awarded shop vouchers for upping step count and eating healthily Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OVERWEIGHT Brits will get shop vouchers to help shed the pounds. An NHS plan will see users awarded points for upping their step count and eating healthily. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Wes Streeting said: 'We're bringing together tech, business, the NHS, and citizens to get Britain moving and helping drive down waiting lists' Credit: Getty They can then be traded for vouchers, with discounts at supermarkets and coffee shops. Details are still being finalised but it is expected users will link health data on their smartphones to the NHS app. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'We're bringing together tech, business, the NHS, and citizens to get Britain moving and helping drive down waiting lists. 'During a cost-of-living crisis, we're not going to make food more expensive or ban treats — we're not the fun police. 'Our approach is more nudge than nanny.' The new measures are part of Labour's 10 Year Health Plan set to be unveiled on Thursday. Supermarkets will be forced to promote healthy products such as fruit and vegetables instead of chocolate and crisps. Sir Brendan Foster, long-distance Olympian and founder of the Great North Run, will also help in a new campaign to get people exercising. Sir Brendan Foster, long-distance Olympian and founder of the Great North Run, will also help in a new campaign to get people exercising. The Government says reducing daily intake by just 50 calories could lift 340,000 children and two million adults out of obesity. Treating obesity-related conditions costs the NHS £11.4billion a year. Mr Streeting added: 'If we don't tackle the rising tide of costs and demand on the NHS, then we won't have an NHS much longer.'
New Statesman
11 hours ago
- New Statesman
Addressing the dementia diagnosis waiting game
Too many people in the UK are stuck anxiously waiting up to a year for a dementia diagnosis — and even longer in more deprived areas. In this episode, we explore why early and accurate diagnosis matters, and what must change to fix the system. Host Sarah Dawood is joined by Samantha Benham-Hermetz, Executive Director at Alzheimer's Research UK; Chris Bane, Alzheimer's Research UK supporter; and Professor Vanessa Raymont, Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford. Our panel discusses the urgent need for early and accurate dementia diagnosis, the impact of delayed diagnosis and the potential for new technologies, such as blood tests, to revolutionise the diagnosis pathway. They also explore the challenges facing the UK's memory services, new treatments becoming available and how the government's 10-Year Health Plan could reshape the future of dementia diagnosis so nobody faces dementia unseen. This New Statesman podcast episode is sponsored by Alzheimer's Research UK. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Related
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
Angela Rayner called out over 'tone deaf' tweet on social media
Angela Rayner has been called out for using an 'appalling' hashtag used alongside a post on social media where she announced that the UK Government has pledged more support for those diagnosed with a terminal illness. The Labour MP said in the post that no one battling terminal illness 'should have to face extra stress and worry over their job security'. She added: 'It's vital that employees with a terminal diagnosis are treated sensitively and with the best support – that's why I'm so proud we are backing this charter'. READ MORE: Scottish manufacturing firm announces 90 jobs face redundancy Rayner concluded the tweet with the hashtag 'DyingToWork'. No one battling terminal illness should have to face extra stress and worry over their job security. It's vital that employees with a terminal diagnosis are treated sensitively and with the best support – that's why I'm so proud we are backing this charter.#DyingToWork — Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) June 27, 2025 Since she posted the tweet on Friday, thousands of people have flooded the comments section to highlight how the post is 'tone deaf' and 'disgusting' with the use of the hashtag. However, Dying to Work is the campaign name of the movement, which aims to raise awareness of the important steps they can take to provide employees with dignity and peace of mind as they navigate a terminal diagnosis while still in work. The picture and post by Rayner is in reference to her signing the Dying to Work Charter, but has been accused of lacking clear context and that it is still in 'bad taste' with the UK Government set to announce cuts to the welfare system next week. SNP councillor Lauren Oxley first retweeted Rayner's post along with the comment: 'Whoever gave that hashtag the thumbs up needs fired, abhorrent.' However, once more context was provided by commenters to Oxley, she added that despite the hashtag making more sense it was still 'out of touch'. She wrote: 'This makes more sense, but it still feels very out of touch to post just days before her government are set to impose some of the most severe cuts to disability and sickness-related payments in over a decade.' In response to Rayner's post another person wrote: 'It would have been prudent to include more details about the charter you are supporting because otherwise, that hashtag seems very misjudged in the current climate.' While another person replied 'There is no world in which that was a good choice of hashtag.' Rayner's post comes after the UK Government said it would U-turn on some of its plans for its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which the initial proposal would cut back disability benefit payments by around £5 billion per year. The UK Government was forced into a partial U-turn on its welfare reform bill after more than 120 party MPs threatened to rebel against the government in a vote next week. As part of the concessions, people who currently receive Personal Independence Payments (Pip), or the health element of Universal Credit, will continue to do so. But planned cuts to these payments will still hit future claimants, with the fresh package of measures now being branded as a 'two-tier system' that will see the 'young treated worse than the old'. The new plan still keeps in place proposals to change the eligibility criteria for PIP for future claimants.
