Business
Junk food advert ban comes into force
Archie MitchellBusiness reporter
PA MediaJunk food adverts are banned on television and online starting today as part of a drive to tackle childhood obesity.
The UK-wide ban stops food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) being advertised on TV before 21:00 and at any time online.
It applies to products considered to be the biggest drivers of childhood obesity, including soft drinks, chocolates and sweets, pizzas and ice creams.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said it is committed to helping people eat healthily and has been voluntarily abiding by the new restrictions since October.
As well as more obviously unhealthy foods, the ban also covers some breakfast cereals and porridges, sweetened bread products, and main meals and sandwiches.
Decisions over which products fall under the ban are based on a scoring tool, balancing their nutrient levels against whether they are high in saturated fat, salt, or sugar.
Plain oats and most porridge, muesli and granola are not banned under the crackdown, but some versions with added sugar, chocolate or syrup could be affected.
Firms can still promote healthier versions of banned products, which the government hopes will lead to food makers developing healthier recipes.
The ban only covers adverts in which unhealthy products can be seen by viewers, meaning fast-food firms will still be able to advertise using their brand name.
Previously, HFSS food and drink adverts were banned on any platform where more than a quarter of the audience was under 16.
Firms that do not comply with the new rules risk action by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
NHS data shows almost one in 10 (9.2%) reception-aged children are now living with obesity, while one in five children have tooth decay by the age of five.
It is estimated obesity costs the NHS more than £11bn every year.
Evidence shows children’s exposure to ads for unhealthy food can influence what they eat from a young age, in turn putting them at greater risk of becoming overweight or obese.
The government estimates the ad ban will prevent around 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.
Katherine Brown, professor of behaviour change in health at the University of Hertfordshire, said the ban was “long overdue and a move in the right direction”.
She said: “Children are highly susceptible to aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods and exposure to them puts them at greater risk of developing obesity and associated chronic diseases.”
Ms Brown called for the government to make nutritious options “more affordable, accessible and appealing”.
The FDF said manufacturers are “committed to working in partnership with the government and others to help people make healthier choices”.
It added: “Investing in developing healthier products has been a key priority for food and drink manufacturers for many years and as a result, our members’ products now have a third of the salt and sugar and a quarter of the calories than they did ten years ago.”
Chas GeigerPolitics reporter
PAThe prime minister has drawn a series of sharp dividing lines with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, in an attempt to begin reviving Labour’s and his own political fortunes in the new year.
Sir Keir Starmer told his political cabinet he wanted to make clear to voters that the choice was between his party “renewing the country” and Reform, who he accused of feeding on “grievance, decline and division”.
Labour and the PM’s own personal ratings have plummeted in opinion polls since the party’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election.
Reform has consistently led the polls, and is hoping to make further gains in May’s council elections in England, and parliamentary ones in Scotland and Wales.
Sir Keir told a meeting of his political cabinet – which took place without civil servants, while including deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell – the government should be “relentless” in focusing on the cost of living and delivering “change people can feel”.
He defined the choice as being between “a Labour government renewing the country or a Reform movement that feeds on grievance, decline and division”.
“They want a weaker state, they want to inject bile into our communities, they want to appease [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. This is the fight of our political lives and one that we must relish,” he said.
A Reform UK spokesman said the prime minister was continuing to show an “obsession” with the party because he knew how much of a threat it posed to his “failing government”.
“Two years ago Labour promised to get the cost of living under control. Since then they have failed on nearly every count as household bills have soared, taxes have skyrocketed, and economic growth has flatlined.
“They simply cannot be trusted,” the spokesman added.
Sir Keir also told ministers: “I do not underestimate the scale of the task. But I have no doubt about this team.
“Governments do not lose because polls go down. They lose when they lose belief or nerve. We will do neither.”
Ahead of a difficult set of elections for Labour in May, there has been plenty of speculation about the prime minister’s own future, with suggestions he will face a leadership challenge if the party fares badly in those polls.
Speaking earlier, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Labour had “no plan, no agenda” and was led by a “weak prime minister who doesn’t know if he is going to be in the job for much longer”.
She said the country needed a government that focused on economic security. “Right now, our economy is in freefall,” she added.
The political part of the meeting at Downing Street took place after an official cabinet meeting, with civil servants present, which lasted less than 10 minutes.
During the first meeting, Sir Keir told his senior ministers their main challenge for 2026 was to show “hard work, focus and determination” in helping to ease the financial burden on households.
His renewed emphasis on cost-of-living issues came as he prepared to join world leaders in Paris for a meeting of Ukraine’s allies.
Sir Keir’s latest reset has been overshadowed by President Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and the US president’s continued ambitions to take over Greenland.
At the end of 2025, Sir Keir told Parliament’s Liaison Committee he was frustrated at the slow pace of change.
“My experience as prime minister is of frustration that every time I go to pull a lever, there are a whole bunch of regulations, consultations and arm’s length bodies that mean the action from pulling the lever to delivery is longer than I think it ought to be, which is among the reasons I want to cut down on regulation generally and within government.”
At the cabinet meeting on Tuesday he said: “There’s a world of uncertainty and upheaval, but tackling the cost of living remains and must remain our focus.”
He added that voters would judge the government at the next election on whether they had delivered improvements to public services and the NHS.
Sir Keir argued the government’s policies were already paying off, with increases in the minimum wage, the Bank of England’s reductions in interest rates, and help with household energy bills.
Drivers over the age of 70 will have to have their vision checked every three years, under plans to reform driving laws in Britain.
The changes are part of the government’s new road safety strategy, which will be published on Wednesday.
Other proposed measures, which were first reported in August, include lowering the drink-driving limit in England to match the limit in Scotland, and giving penalty points for not wearing seatbelts.
Nearly one in four car drivers killed in 2024 were aged 70 or older, according to government figures.
Edmund King, president of the AA motoring organisation, said: “Eye tests are free for people over the age of 60 anyway and healthcare professionals advise them every two years given they can help with diagnosis of other underlying conditions.
“In fact, the AA advises everyone to have an eye test every two years.”
Drivers in the UK must be able to read a number plate from 20 metres away, according to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
But currently, drivers of any age are not required to prove their skills or health once they obtain their licence.
Drivers must tell the DVLA if they become unfit to drive, but this is a self-reporting system.
Lilian Greenwood, local transport minister, said: “We know driving can be very important for older people’s wellbeing and help them to live independently, but we must also make sure everyone is safe on our roads.
“As the country’s older population grows, our plans in the first road safety strategy in more than a decade will preserve personal freedoms where possible with action to save lives.”
Last year, an inquest into the deaths of four people killed by drivers with failing vision said enforcement of eyesight standards on the roads was “ineffective and unsafe”.
HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley pointed out that the UK was one of only three countries to rely on self-reporting of visual conditions affecting the ability to drive.
In the report, which was handed to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, he said: “Self-reporting of visual conditions permits drivers to lie about their current driving status to those performing an ophthalmic assessment and avoid warnings not to drive.
“Drivers may also admit they drive but then ignore instructions not to drive and fail to notify the DVLA.”
Business
Mahindra XUV 7XO Launched At Rs 13.99 Lakh With Modern Features – Check Colours, Variants, And Whats New This Time
Mahindra has launched the new XUV 7XO in India at a starting price of Rs 13.66 lakh (ex-showroom). This introductory price is valid for the first 40,000 units. The XUV 7XO is essentially a facelifted version of the XUV700.
Pre-bookings for the SUV were closed before the launch. Mahindra has announced that fresh bookings will open on January 14, 2026. Deliveries for select variants will also begin on the same day, while other variants will be delivered in phases until April.
Exterior Design Updates
The XUV 7XO features noticeable design changes at the front. It includes revised LED headlamps with boomerang-shaped daytime running lights, a new front grille, and updated tail-lights with hexagonal detailing. The side profile is largely similar to the XUV700, except for the newly designed alloy wheels.
Interior and Key Features
The SUV gets a refreshed upholstery color scheme and a new triple-screen layout. This includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 12.3-inch passenger display.
One of the noticeable features on the XUV 7XO is India’s first Alexa and ChatGPT integration, offering smart hands-free chats for a smoother drive. It also comes with AdrenoX+ Connect built-in on all variants, delivering 93 smart connected features through one ecosystem.
(Also Read: Why Second-Hand Cars Are Luxury In Venezuela? A 1995 Car Prices At USD….)
Other features include a new two-spoke steering wheel, touch-based HVAC controls, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, powered Boss Mode for the front passenger seat, wireless charging, and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with Dolby Atmos. Mahindra has also updated the suspension setup, which the company says improves ride comfort.
Engine Options and Lineup
The XUV 7XO is offered with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 203hp and a 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 185hp. Both engines are available with 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic gearboxes. Higher diesel variants with automatic transmission also get an all-wheel-drive option.
The Mahindra XUV 7XO is offered in six variants: AX, AX3, AX5, AX7, AX7T, and AX7L.
Safety and Technology
Safety features of the XUV 7XO include seven airbags, a 540-degree camera system, electronic parking brake with auto-hold, ISOFIX mounts, and Level 2 ADAS with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. Mahindra says the XUV 7XO is engineered to match the XUV700’s five-star Global NCAP safety performance under Bharat NCAP.
Rivals
The Mahindra XUV 7XO will compete with popular SUVs such as the Tata Safari, MG Hector Plus, and Hyundai Alcazar.
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