Economic Survey suggests curbs on ultra-processed food ads from 6 am to 11 pm

New Delhi: The Economic Survey has raised concerns over the increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in India and suggested a ban on their advertisements from 6 am to 11 pm across media platforms.

The pre-Budget document, tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, highlighted India’s position as one of the fastest-growing markets for UPFs, which are typically high in fat, salt and sugar. It also proposed restrictions on the marketing of infant and toddler milk and beverages, while flagging a rise in obesity among children.

“More troubling still, the prevalence of excess weight among children under five has risen from 2.1% in 2015-16 to 3.4% in 2019-21,” the survey noted.

According to estimates cited in the document, over 3.3 crore children in India were obese in 2020, with the figure projected to rise to 8.3 crore by 2035.

The 2019–21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) reported that 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese. Among women aged 15–49 years, 6.4% are obese, while 4.0% of men fall into the overweight category.

To address the growing challenge posed by UPFs, the survey called for “front-of-pack nutrition labelling” of high-fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) foods with clear warnings, restrictions on marketing to children, and safeguards to ensure trade agreements do not undermine public health policy.

It said that improving dietary outcomes cannot rely solely on changes in consumer behaviour and would require coordinated policies across food systems that regulate UPF production and marketing, while promoting healthier and more sustainable diets.

“The option of a marketing ban on UPFs from 0600 hours to 2300 hours for all media, and enforcing restrictions on the marketing of infant and toddler milk and beverages, could be explored,” the survey stated.

In addition to traditional media, it recommended that UPF marketing restrictions be made mandatory for digital platforms as well.

The survey cited international examples, including Chile, Norway and the UK, where advertising restrictions on UPFs are already in place. “Recently, the UK has banned junk food advertising before 9 pm on TV and online to reduce children's exposure and curb childhood obesity,” it said, adding that further action on marketing activities such as school and college sponsorships by UPF manufacturers could also be considered.

The document also pointed to regulatory gaps in India’s existing advertising framework. It noted that while Rule 7 of the Advertisement Code prohibits misleading or unhealthy advertisements, it does not define “misleading” using measurable or nutrient-based criteria.

Similarly, the Central Consumer Protection Authority’s Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements (2022) require advertisements to avoid exaggerating health benefits or exploiting children, but “they lack clear nutrient thresholds or a framework for identifying misleading claims in food marketing”.

“This regulatory ambiguity allows companies marketing UPFs to continue making vague ‘health’, ‘energy’, or ‘nutrition’ cues without violating any clearly defined standard, highlighting a critical policy gap that needs reform,” the survey said.

The Economic Survey also expressed concern that the rapid growth of UPF consumption is contributing to chronic diseases and widening health inequalities. Sales of UPFs in India grew by more than 150% between 2009 and 2023. Retail sales surged from USD 0.9 billion in 2006 to nearly USD 38 billion in 2019, a 40-fold increase.

“It is during the same period that obesity has nearly doubled in both men and women,” the survey added.