Kazakhstan intends to restrict food and sugary drink ads

Kazakhstan is preparing restrictions on advertising products high in sugar, salt, saturated and trans fats. The main focus is on protecting children and teenagers from aggressive marketing, El.kz reports citing Kazakh  Ministry of Health.

The move to develop new regulations came after an order from the President. The Head of State previously drew attention to aggressive fast food advertising and its impact on eating habits, public health, and the strain on the healthcare system.

The Ministry of Health supposes  that this type of advertising affects children and teenagers the most. This includes bright packaging, promotion through social media and bloggers, as well as other marketing tools.

The proposals include restrictions on advertising products high in salt, sugar, saturated, and trans fats. These measures could affect TV, radio, social media, and outdoor ads. For now, we're talking about draft proposals, not an existing ban. Experts are currently analyzing the potential impact of these future restrictions. The Ministry of Health notes that international experience and WHO recommendations were considered during their development. The issue is also related to children's health. According to the department, 23% of children aged six to nine are overweight.

Another 6% of children in this age group suffer from obesity. Among teenagers, 17.5% drink energy drinks every week.

Some restrictions on children's nutrition are already in place. Since January last year, energy drinks have been banned for sale to people under 21 in Kazakhstan.

Starting from September 2025, schools will follow a new nutrition standard. It involves significantly reducing the amount of sugar and salt, as well as increasing the share of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products.

In addition, sanitary rules already ban selling sugary soft drinks and certain types of fast food in educational institutions, including burgers, hot dogs, pizza, nuggets, and chips.