Downing Street must stop putting the commercial interests of the food and drink industry over children’s health, MPs say, as they unveil a string of recommendations on how to better regulate food advertising, promotions and labelling.
The demands come as the Health and Social Care Select Committee has released a new report spotlighting how the obesity crisis is costing the UK economy tens of billions of pounds every year.
Giving people easier access to healthier food options is key, the report says, with policies too often delayed or diluted in the face of threats from the food industry about the potential impact on food prices, jobs or the economy.
Alarmingly, the committee found that in 2024, 30% of adults in England were living with obesity, while a further 36% were overweight, according to NHS England. Meanwhile, 28% of children aged 13 to 15 were overweight or obese.
The Department of Health and Social Care, citing research by Frontier Economics, said obesity costs the UK £74.3 billion per year, including £11.4 billion to the NHS, £8.9 billion to business, £0.4 billion to social care, and £48.1 billion linked to reduced quality of life.
Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “This report is a timely reminder that the evidence on obesity prevention has been clear for years. The committee’s recommendations are firmly grounded in public health evidence and reflect the bold, joined up action that the Obesity Health Alliance and others have long called for, to create a healthier food environment as part of the 10 Year Health Plan for England.
“The government already has many of these policies on the table — mandatory health reporting and targets for large food businesses, stronger restrictions on the advertising and promotion of less healthy food, and an updated Nutrient Profiling Model. Yet too often, measures designed to protect children’s health have been delayed or diluted after sustained pressure from industry.”
She continued: “If we are serious about improving the nation’s health, reducing pressure on the NHS and giving every child the best start in life, we must tackle the root causes by making healthier choices easier and more affordable for everyone. This is the moment for the government to break the ‘junk food cycle’ of inaction and deliver the healthier future families deserve.”
The report also points out that between August 2024 and July 2025, nearly £680 million was spent on advertising food and soft drinks across TV, radio and outdoor channels. (“Outdoors” → “outdoor channels” for style clarity.)
Products such as sweets, chocolate and crisps accounted for 29% of that spend (£196 million), whereas fruit and vegetables made up just 3%.
In its demands, the committee urges Downing Street to extend the advertising ban so that HFSS brands such as McDonald’s cannot appear, as well as banning non-healthy food ranges such as ‘Happy Meals’, which can still be shown as long as no product is presented.
MPs have also expressed a desire for retailers to be required to include more fruit and vegetables in prominent in-store locations such as checkouts and store entrances.
The report additionally recommends that mandatory front-of-pack labelling should be introduced by January 2028.
Dame Anna Taylor, executive director of the Food Foundation, added: “This report contains a wealth of important findings, and we urge the government to act swiftly on its recommendations. Crucially, it puts its finger on the real problem: affordability — not willpower — is what stands between most people and a healthy diet. As the report recognises, restricting unhealthy food only achieves so much; the bigger opportunity is making sure people can actually afford food that keeps them healthy and well nourished.
“We’re particularly pleased to see the committee recognise the value of the Healthy Start scheme in advancing this agenda, and the urgent need to strengthen the scheme. Healthy Start should be a lifeline, but for years it’s been left to wither: too many families are missing out, and the value of the payment has been left behind by soaring food prices. Fixing it isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential.”
She concluded: “We hope the incoming prime minister will seize this opportunity to deliver the reform that’s so clearly needed, and put in place real policies to support people through the challenge of ever-rising food prices.”
