Exposure to unhealthy food and drink marketing shapes long-term eating habits and contributes to unhealthy weight gain. In July 2025, South Australia became the first state to ban unhealthy food and drink advertising on government owned buses, trains, and trams. This action was part of broader initiatives to address overweight and obesity which, in 2024, affected more than one in three South Australian children, and two-thirds of adults.

We commend the South Australian government for this action. We encourage it to extend such advertising restrictions to all publicly owned assets, such as bus stops and billboards. This will reduce exposure to harmful advertising, and will benefit the community, particularly children who are more vulnerable to the effects of marketing.

Strong evidence also shows that exposure to alcohol and gambling advertising is harmful, increasing the likelihood of earlier and heavier alcohol use, and increased participation in risky gambling behaviours, particularly among young people. We call for existing advertising restrictions to be expanded to include alcohol and gambling to more comprehensively address harms that contribute to poor health outcomes for South Australians.