Norway bans marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to children
News story | Date: 25/04/2025 | Ministry of Health and Care Services
A regulation that prohibits the marketing of unhealthy food and drinks that is particularly aimed at children has today entered into force.
‘We are committed to ensure good health for children and youth and that it should be easy to make good choices in everyday life. The government is implementing this measure because we are committed to protect our children and their health’, says Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.
‘With this regulation, Norway is a front runners. We are taking responsibility and ensuring that fewer chidlren are exposed to negative pressure that lead to an unhealthy diet, which in turn can be harmful to their health’, says Vestre.
Based on the industry's own self-regulation
The regulations are based on the industry's own self-regulation scheme, Matbransjens Faglige Utvalg (MFU), but go further on certain points. Among other things, the government wants to protect all children up to the age of 18, ensure active supervision and that violations are sanctioned by the Directorate of Health. The regulations will therefore protect children from the marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to a greater extent than the self-regulatory scheme.
It will still be legal to sell these products to children and youth, but marketing unhealthy products to this group will be illegal.
When it comes to products covered by the ban, the most unhealthy products, such as candy, soft drinks, ice cream and energy drinks, cannot be marketed particularly towards children. For other products, such as cereals, yogurt and fast food, limits for different nutrients are used to cover the most unhealthy products in these categories. For example, for breakfast cereals, the content of sugar and dietary fibre determines whether the product can be marketed particularly towards children or not.
The foods that are covered by the ban are listed in a product list attached to the regulation (in Norwegian, PDF).
Exemptions for sponsorship
Several adjustments have been made to the regulation following the public consultation and the Ministry has had a good dialogue with the sports community.
Among other things, an exemption has been included for the use of trademarks in connection with sponsorship, as long as it is not a trademark for specific products covered by the product list.
Entry into force
The regulation enters into force today, 25 April 2025, with a transition period of six months to give the industry time to adapt to the regulation.
The Directorate of Health is the supervisory authority and has been commissioned to prepare a guide to the regulation.