Junk food TV ad ban won't solve obesity crisis, says Tunnock's boss
The confectionery brand, based in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, is famed for its snowballs, teacakes and caramel logs that are exported around the globe.
But junk food adverts are soon to be banned from being broadcast before the TV watershed of 9pm, as part of the government's UK-wide drive to improve public health. In addition, online adverts for products that are high in fat, salt and sugar will be banned.
In an interview with the Scottish Grocer, Fergus Loudon, sales director at Tunnock's, said: 'What we really need to guard against is, as an industry, being blamed for societal problems, which are most definitely not of our making.
'Obesity is a serious issue but it's an issue that only education will address.
'Banning chocolate biscuit ads on TV before nine o'clock to prevent obesity is rather like banning foreign holidays to prevent skin damage from too much sun.'
Westminster plans to introduce the new advertising restrictions on October 1, 2025 across the UK.
One in three adults (33 per cent) in Scotland are classed as obese, according to Scottish government figures for 2023, up from about 24 per cent in 2003.
A recent survey by Obesity Action Scotland showed a majority of Scots would support a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm.
The poll, which was carried out by YouGov on behalf of the campaign group, found 74 per cent supported a ban on such adverts on TV before 9pm, with 69 per cent supporting a similar ban online and 66 per cent a ban on adverts outside the home before 9pm.
Loudon added that biscuit makers are already contending with problems of price and supply, and could do without the government making its marketing more difficult and costly.
In its February advertising campaign, Tunnock's criticised rival brands that had reduced the size of their products. The company teamed up with Taggart star Alex Norton to investigate other chocolate makers 'getting away with murder' by shrinking their bars. The actor played the role of a detective probing the growing trend of 'shrinkflation' in the confectionery industry.
A UK government spokesman said: 'Obesity robs our kids of the best possible start in life, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems, and costs the NHS billions.
'This government is taking action now to end the targeting of junk food ads at kids, across both TV and online.
'This is the first step to deliver a major shift in the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention, and towards meeting our government's ambition to give every child a healthy, happy start to life.'
Reflecting on the challenges in the industry, Loudon added: 'To borrow a famous Oscar Wilde observation, the only thing worse than being in the chocolate biscuit business is not being in the chocolate biscuit business.'
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