Heart Foundation Applauds SA Junk Food Ad Ban, Calls for More
The Heart Foundation is this week welcoming the launch of the South Australian Government’s ban on unhealthy food advertising on its public buses, trains and trams, calling on other states and territories to follow suit.
The new laws ban unhealthy food advertising from Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams to reduce the influence of such advertising on people’s dietary choices, particularly children.
The unhealthy food items which will no longer be able to be advertised on public transport and at train stations include chocolate, lollies, confectionary, desserts, ice creams, soft drinks and chips.
South Australia is the only other jurisdiction alongside the Australian Capital Territory to introduce the ban.
Heart Foundation South Australian General Manager, Claire Gardner, thanked the South Australian Government for its action and called on remaining states and territories to implement similar bans.
“We welcome this ban. The decisions we make when young impact our chances of developing coronary heart disease later in life,” Ms Gardner said, “and unfortunately it is evidenced that foods advertised frequently on public transport contain high levels of salt, saturated fat and sugar.”
BACKGROUND
The Heart Foundation conducted a literature and evidence review prior to making its submission to the South Australian Government’s consultation process on the new laws.
The review showed consistent evidence that unhealthy food and beverage marketing influences dietary patterns among children and leads to weight gain and obesity, with some of the key findings globally and locally including: