North East mayor Kim McGuiness has teamed up with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to ban junk food adverts from the Tyne and Wear Metro network in a bid to help tackle childhood obesity and to promote healthy lifestyles.

From December 1, there will be no adverts for junk food on display at any of the Metro network’s 60 stations and its entire fleet of trains.

North East mayor Kim McGuinness has announced the ban of junk food adverts on the Metro network.
Photo: North East Combined Authority. — North East mayor Kim McGuinness has announced the ban of junk food adverts on the Metro network. Photo: North East Combined Authority.

placeholder image — North East mayor Kim McGuinness has announced the ban of junk food adverts on the Metro network. Photo: North East Combined Authority.

Ms McGuinness said the days of targeting children with "predatory adverts" for unhealthy food and drink were over.

She added: “I want parents to know their children will be protected from adverts for burgers, sweets and fizzy drinks.

"This is us sending a clear message to junk food companies - enough is enough."

The North East Mayor made the announcement in a video post on her social media page.

Adverts for junk food have been banned on the Metro network.

Ms McGuiness said: “We are the first place outside of London to take this bold step so that kids travelling on the Metro don’t see these harmful adverts.

“It’s about helping our young people to grow up healthy and to make positive choices about what they eat and drink so they can get the best start in life.”

The decision to ban the adverts has been taken, in part, to support celebrity TV chef Jamie Oliver’s AdEnough campaign to limit adverts for unhealthy food in public places.

The campaign was initially launched in 2018.

Speaking at the time, Jamie said: “Kids are bombarded, day-in, day-out, with adverts for food and drink products that are high in unhealthy fats, sugar and salt. They’re online, on TV, on the streets and all over public transport.

“If kids are constantly being targeted with cheap, easily accessible, unhealthy junk food, just think how hard it must be to make better, healthier choices.

“We have to make it easier for children to make good decisions. These adverts undermine any positive work we’re doing in schools or at home to tackle the rise of childhood obesity.

“Currently, there’s nothing in place to protect our kids from seeing these adverts – apart from literally covering their eyes.”

Speaking in the video post, Ms McGuiness said: “One thing myself and Jamie Oliver agree on is that junk food harms kids. So we are taking a stand together and backing his AdEnough campaign to ban junk food advertising.”

In the statement accompanying the post Ms McGuiness added: “Junk food harms kids. That’s why Jamie Oliver and I are taking a stand together and backing his AdEnough campaign by banning junk food adverts on the Metro.

The ban will cover advertising on infrastructure owned and operated by Nexus, including the Shields Ferry and selected billboard sites alongside Metro lines.

Helen Mathews, Commercial Director at Nexus, said: “We’re pleased to support the Mayor with this important initiative to help protect children’s health.

“We have a large advertising estate on Metro across our 60 stations and on our fleet of trains. We see a wide range of brands booking this advertising space.

“By allowing only healthier foods and drink to be advertised across our system we can play our part in making our region healthier.”

Transport for London issued a similar ban in 2019.