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Briefs

SA Food and drink advertising ban on public transport: What Members need to know

SA Food and drink advertising ban on public transport: What Members need to know

9 July 2025

Background 

The South Australian Government’s new restrictions on advertising unhealthy food and drinks across public transport assets – metro buses, trains, and trams – came into effect last Tuesday, 1 July 2025. The policy, led by Preventive Health SA in partnership with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, aims to reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food and drink marketing. 

Recent developments and industry engagement 

AFGC has maintained consistent engagement with government, including direct discussions with SA Health Minister Chris Picton and Preventive Health SA. Recent updates include: 

  • Product reviews: Preventive Health SA is open to reviewing product eligibility in advance of creative development. This addresses a key concern raised by industry – that creative resources may be wasted if products are later deemed non-compliant. Product reviews can be submitted to this email: preventivehealthsa.healthyfood@sa.gov.au 
  • 12-month formal review: The policy will undergo a comprehensive review in mid-2026 with consideration of the food classification system used to determine foods prohibited from advertising:  the COAG Interim Guidelines. In the interim, there will be likely no change to the Guidelines nor adoption of a tool such as the nutrient profiling scoring criteria to assist with clarity and consistency. 
  • Consolidated guidance: AFGC has recommended consolidating the current suite of documents (policy, FAQs and implementation guidance) into a single, clearer reference document. This suggestion is under consideration. 

Key considerations 

This policy may set a national precedent, with other jurisdictions potentially following suit. The classification system is broad, and in some cases inconsistent, potentially impacting otherwise healthy or reformulated products. While the option for pre-clearance is helpful, further clarity and communication are needed to support business decision-making as well for consistent and transparent policy implementation. 

Member action

AFGC strongly recommends that members submit products for review before investing in advertising creative. This step will: 

  • Provide clarity on product eligibility under the policy 
  • Avoid unnecessary creative development costs 
  • Support broader industry understanding of how the classification system is applied 

Importantly, having examples of products assessed under the policy will be valuable evidence when the SA Government conducts its 12-month policy review. Member input will help ensure the review is grounded in real-world application and practical challenges. 

AFGC action 

AFGC continues to advocate for a practical, evidence-based approach and adopting the nutrient profiling scoring criteria while maintaining regular engagement with SA Government stakeholders. We also collaborate with other industry bodies to provide coordinated feedback and closely monitor the policy’s implementation to help shape the upcoming review in 12 months’ time. 

Contact  

If you have concerns or would like to share examples of how the policy affects your business, please contact the AFGC team. Your input supports our continued advocacy efforts. 

For more information, contact Anne-Marie Mackintosh, Associate Director – Nutrition and Regulation  

Dr Duncan Craig  
Director – Nutrition and Regulation