Bedford Borough Council has adopted a new policy to ban advertising and sponsorship deals that promote products linked to poor health outcomes – such as junk food, alcohol, gambling, and vaping – across council-owned spaces.
The Healthier Advertising and Sponsorship Policy was formally approved by the Executive this week (April 23), meaning that high fat, salt and sugar foods, alcoholic drinks, payday loans, tobacco products and most e-cigarettes will no longer be allowed to feature on council spaces.
The list of spaces where these will no longer be seen include council websites, social media channels, bus shelters, roundabouts, or council newsletters.
Cllr Martin Towler, (Conservative, Riseley), the portfolio holder for neighbourhoods and communities: health and wellbeing, said: “The advertising market of unhealthy products can make people’s health worse.
“The negative effects of advertising unhealthy products are particularly strong for children and young people, and for the residents who live in more disadvantaged areas.
“Restricting advertising of unhealthy products has been shown to be effective.
“For example, restricting the advertising on the London Underground has led to measurable decrease in calorie consumption from unhealthy foods without affecting their income.
“By approving this healthy advertising and sponsorship policy, the council is showing local leadership on this important issue,” he said.
Cllr Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant (Conservative, Great Barford) said she welcomed the “bits around vaping and children”.
“Because we know that vapes can be very pretty colours and they can be look like they should be really appealing to children,” she said.
“And we know that they can be incredibly harmful to their health.
“This is all part of that drive to try and protect children, and I think that’s really, really important,” she said.
Cllr Towler said, “This policy is one of many steps we are taking as part of our joint health and wellbeing strategy to make Bedford borough a healthier place for everyone who lives, works and learns here.”
“Fossil fuels should be added” say Greens
However, a Green councillor has called on the council to amend the policy to include fossil fuels.
Cllr Lucy Bywater (Green, Castle & Newnham) was told it was not something that could be changed without “a lot of work”.
Cllr Bywater said: “I think this is really positive, obviously advertising does influence consumer behaviour, otherwise advertisers wouldn’t spend billions on it every year.
“It also normalizes certain choices.”
Cllr Bywater proposed that the promotion of fossil fuels should be added to the list.
“For example, [ending] diesel or petrol SUV ads at bus stops or outside train stations,” she said.
“Ending those would also support the council’s environmental and health objectives.
“It would back those up and it would show consistency, it would demonstrate commitment to health and environmental goals, specifically on air pollution, on active travel, on cutting carbon emissions, and on town planning.”
The councillor said that other councils had done this.
“Sheffield doesn’t permit ads or sponsorship for fossil fuels,” she said.
“So that’s fossil fuels or sub-brands or lobbying organisations that extract, refine, produce, supply, distribute, or sell fossil fuels.
“They don’t permit adverts for airlines and airports, they don’t permit adverts for petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars.
“Of course, not advertising those doesn’t prohibit them, people are still free to go and buy those products if they want to.
“But not advertising them on the council’s own property aligns with the council’s goals and values.
“It prevents us from being hypocritical and contradictory by advertising something that we are trying to reduce in terms of behaviour change,” she said.
Cllr Bywater asked the mayor if the Executive should amend the upcoming agenda item to include not permitting fossil fuel industry adverts or sponsorship on the council’s own assets and publications.
The council’s chief executive, Laura Church, said she didn’t think the policy could be changed during the meeting.
“Because there is a lot of work that goes into developing the policy, developing the reports,” she said.
The policy will only apply to assets owned by and events run by the council, and an Advertising and Sponsorship Oversight Group will be established to oversee the implementation of the policy.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
Edited by Tom Carr
