Latest on plan to ban fast food adverts in Brighton and Hove

Councillors are being asked to back a detailed report into how such a ban could work in the city.

And Brighton and Hove City Council is also asking bus and train operators which work in the city if they would also consider outlawing junk food adverts.

A report going before next Tuesday’s meeting of the council’s adult social care and public health sub-committee proposes forming a project group with representatives from the council’s public health, property and transport departments to explore fast food advertising across the city.

If councillors back the recommendations, a report will go back to the committee in January, with detailed information about the extent of fast-food and energy drink advertising on council property and an evaluation of similar projects in Bristol and London.

A report will go before councillors at Hove Town Hall

Transport for London, the boroughs of Greenwich, Haringey, Southwark and Merton and Bristol have introduced restrictions on high fat, salt and sugar foods.

The report said Transport for London found advertising revenue increased after it introduced restrictions on advertising energy drinks and fast food.

The council owns all the city’s bus shelters and a few hoardings on which it sells advertising via Clear Channel.

An audit in April this year found seven to eight per cent of advertising on bus shelters was for major fast food brands.

The report said: “Advertising of foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar has been shown to significantly increase purchase and consumption of these items.

“The World Health Organisation notes this as a key contributor to the rise in obesity.

“National evidence shows the relationship between the advertisement of unhealthy foods and more deprived areas where residents are at greater lifestyle-related health risk.

“Restricting advertisements for these items has been recommended as one of a range of evidence-based measures to reduce consumption of these high calorie and less healthy food options, reducing the risk of obesity amongst children and adults.”

Labour councillor Amanda Evans wants the adverts scrapped

The move comes as the number of 11-year-olds in Brighton and Hove who are overweight or obese has increased from 30 to 34 per cent in the last year.

Labour councillor Amanda Evans proposed the project at a full council meeting in April.

She secured backing from the full council for chief executive Geoff Raw to write to Brighton and Hove Buses and Southern Rail asking for a ban on adverting fast foods.

The adult social care and public health committee meets at 4pm at Hove Town Hall on Tuesday 14 June. The meeting is webcast on the council website.