What the UK has done

The UK has enforced a sweeping ban on advertising foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS). Under the new rules:

• HFSS food ads are banned on television before 9 pm

• Digital and social media advertising faces near-total restrictions

• Even foods commonly perceived as “healthy,” such as cereals, oats, muesli, pretzels and sandwiches, fall under scrutiny if they breach HFSS thresholds

The aim is clear: reduce children’s exposure to aggressive junk food marketing and tackle the country’s growing burden of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Why this matters for India

Public health experts see the UK’s move as a warning for India, where consumption of HFSS and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is accelerating rapidly.

A 2023 report by the World Health Organization showed that India’s UPF market exploded from about $900 million in 2006 to nearly $38 billion by 2019, growing at over 33% annually. The Economic Survey 2024–25 has also warned that India’s demographic dividend is at risk unless youth health is protected.

Nutrition experts link this dietary shift to rising cases of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disorders and mental health conditions.

India’s regulatory lag

Unlike the UK, India still does not have a legally enforceable definition of junk food. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has announced plans to adopt standards from the Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) to define HFSS foods—but the policy has yet to be notified.

Under NIN guidelines:

• Foods deriving over 15% of energy from added fats qualify as HFSS

• Salt intake above 5g/day is unsafe

• Deep-fried foods, biscuits, cakes, samosas, puris, parathas, chips, sauces and many packaged snacks fall into the HFSS category

• Saturated fats from ghee, butter, palm oil and vanaspati are flagged

Despite these benchmarks, there is still no binding framework governing advertising, celebrity endorsements or digital promotions of HFSS foods.

Advertising, money and influence

A 2023 analysis by Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) found that all 43 sampled packaged foods in India exceeded nutrient-of-concern limits. Many were:

• Celebrity-endorsed

• Marketed directly to children

• Making misleading health claims

• Using emotional manipulation while hiding nutritional risks

Globally, food giants spend nearly $30 billion a year on advertising, and experts say India—young, urbanising and digitally connected—is a prime target.

The bigger question

The UK has chosen public health over industry pressure, drawing clear red lines around what can and cannot be marketed to children. India, by contrast, remains stuck between draft guidelines, industry lobbying and policy hesitation.

As ultra-processed foods become everyday staples, the silence around defining “junk food” is no longer neutral—it is a choice. Whether India follows the UK’s lead or allows corporate influence to shape its food future may determine the country’s next public health crisis.