Fast Food Advertising Banned in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi has implemented a comprehensive ban on fast food advertising across the entire emirate, marking a significant shift in the emirate's approach to public health and chronic disease prevention.

The advertising restrictions, introduced this month by Healthy Living Abu Dhabi, are part of a broader health initiative designed to tackle rising rates of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases affecting the population. The move represents one of the most aggressive public health campaigns in the region, targeting both consumer behavior and the food industry's marketing practices.

Under this new initiative, there will be no advertising of unhealthy food and beverages across Abu Dhabi.

The advertising ban forms part of a multi-pronged health drive that includes new front-of-pack food labelling through Nutri Mark, tighter rules on unhealthy food advertising, changes in supermarket layouts, expanded community fitness programmes, and stricter nutrition standards in schools and workplaces.

The Nutri Mark front-of-package system will grade packaged food from A (healthiest) to E (least healthy) based on nutritional value, while the new advertising policy limits the promotion of unhealthy food and drink by media across the emirate. Additionally, supermarkets are now mandated to remove unhealthy products from high-traffic zones including store entrances, ends of aisles and checkout areas.

The initiative aims not to force people to behave differently, but to change the environment around them and raise health awareness so individuals can make better choices independently.

The strategy focuses on four key areas: physical activity, diet, mental well-being and sleep The strategy is a move away from reactive healthcare towards proactive prevention.

The initiative comes as part of Abu Dhabi's comprehensive approach to addressing modern lifestyle challenges.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that children's school lunches are being spot-checked to ensure they meet nutritional standards, reflecting the comprehensive nature of the emirate's health reforms.