OAT OF ORDER
Porridge branded ‘junk food’ under Government’s latest nanny state crackdown – as MPs blast ‘preposterous meddling’
Labour has been criticised for including the oat-based staple in their forthcoming advertising ban
PORRIDGE has been branded a form of junk food in the Government’s latest nanny state crackdown.
Labour has been slammed for including the oat-based staple in their forthcoming advertising ban.
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Sweetened varieties of the breakfast favourite, like golden syrup and fruity flavours, will be prohibited from TV ads before 9 pm.
They will also face a total ban on online promotions starting October 2025.
The move, aimed at tackling childhood obesity, places porridge pots alongside crisps and fizzy drinks under restrictions for products deemed "less healthy."
Plain oats are in the clear, but newly released guidance reveals sweetened options fail the Government’s nutrient scoring system, which assesses sugar, fat, and salt levels.
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The guidance, designed to help businesses prepare for the changes, also highlights other products set to face advertising restrictions.
These include popular items such as granola, instant noodles, and sweetened yoghurts, alongside more obvious candidates like salted popcorn and ice cream.
Chris Snowdon from the Institute of Economic Affairs blasted the move, saying: "We will soon be living in the only country in the world where sponge puddings, croissants and yoghurts are considered too dangerous to be advertised online and can only be shown on TV when young children are in bed.
"This is the most preposterous, puritanical government meddling and shows that this policy was never about so-called 'junk food' at all."
Reform MP Richard Tice added: "This is an outrageous assault on the most delicious Scottish oats and it has become a porridge tax."
Ministers estimate the new measures will strip 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, preventing 20,000 cases of obesity.
The ad ban is part of Labour’s 10-Year Health Plan, which wants to prioritise prevention over treatment.
Set to launch next spring, the plan will also include measures to ban under-16s from buying high-caffeine energy drinks and promote healthier lifestyles for children.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting 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.”
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