In this Food Thinkers webinar Professor Emma Boyland (University of Liverpool) will describe the new landmark restrictions on advertising for less healthy food and drink in the UK and the likelihood they will achieve their aims to tackle poor diet and obesity. In January 2026, paid advertisements for products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) were banned online at all times and on television before the 9pm ‘watershed’. This ban was based on evidence that exposure to such marketing influences children’s dietary preferences and contributes to unhealthy consumption patterns and longstanding public health concerns, multiple consultations and impact assessments dating back to 2019. The ban aligns UK food policy with global recommendations to protect young people from pervasive junk food promotion. Modelling studies suggest the ban could remove billions of calories from children’s diets and deliver significant health benefits. But questions remain about the legislation’s overall effectiveness and potential industry workarounds. During this webinar Professor Boyland will provide an overview of the new ban, unpick its strengths and weaknesses, and consider “where next?” for food advertising policy.

The talk will be followed by an online Q&A session.

Emma Boyland is a Professor of Food Marketing and Child Health in the Department of Psychology at the University of Liverpool, where she is Deputy Dean for the Institute of Population Health. Emma is an experimental psychologist whose studies explore unhealthy food marketing and the impact this has on eating and eating-related behaviours, particularly in children. She works extensively with the World Health Organization in relation to child health, and has informed policies in the UK and internationally to restrict food marketing to children. She receives research funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).