Big brands send out barrage of junk food ads before obesity rules bite

Advertising on snacks rises 26% compared with last year, months before restrictions on promoting unhealthy food come into forceBig food brands dramatically increased their spending on advertising last year, months before new junk food regulations aiming to curb Britain’s obesity crisis are due to come into force, the Observer can reveal.Food companies spent an extra £420m in 2024, an increase of 26% year on year that coincided with a bumper 12 months for sales of snack foods. Shopper