Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help ensure that advertising of protein powders on social media is (a) accurate and (b) age-appropriate for young audiences.

The Advertising Standards Authority regulates advertising in the UK across traditional forms of media and online. The UK Code of Non-Broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing, by the Committee for Advertising Practice, requires marketing communications to be legal, decent, honest and truthful. It includes rules on advertising to children, and on food, food supplements, and associated health or nutrition claims.

Under the Online Safety Act, platforms likely to be accessed by children must protect children from harmful and age-inappropriate content including eating disorder content and content which encourages self-administering of harmful substances.