In a twist nobody saw coming (except maybe your snack drawer), South Australia has officially declared war on rice cakes and fortified soy milk — at least when it comes to public transport ads.
As part of a new health initiative, the State Government has rolled out a policy that bans advertising for foods it deems unhealthy across public transport, bus stops, train stations and other government-owned spaces. But it’s the items that made the “naughty list” that have left heads tilted and eyebrows raised, including lightly puffed rice cakes and calcium-enriched soy milk. Yes, really.
The idea behind the policy is to limit children’s exposure to junk food promotions, which makes sense in theory. But in practice, it has sent some of the country’s snack-ier citizens spiralling. Suddenly, the humble rice cake, long regarded as the most innocent item in the pantry, is being treated like a deep-fried, sugar-ladden villain.
Industry groups have suggested that the policy might be a little confusing, especially since both rice cakes and soy milk are often considered staples for the health-conscious. The Australian Association of National Advertisers is now urging the State Government to reconsider how it defines “junk”.
However, during a segment on Radio 5AA, the Chris Picton Minister for Health and Wellbeing clarified that the ban only applies to soy milk with added sugar, such as chocolate soy milk, or rice cakes with added ingredients like chocolate or salt.
Statement from Preventive Health SA Chief Executive, Marina Bowshall
This evidence-based policy has been endorsed by the Cancer Council SA, the Public Health Association of Australia and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
The policy applies to government-owned Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams and has been introduced from 1 July 2025.
In consultation with key stakeholders, including the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), Preventive Health SA has produced a comprehensive implementation guide and FAQ resource to clearly define the details of the policy which are available on the Preventive Health SA website.
Under the policy, advertisements may be allowed if they display mostly healthy foods with a small amount of unbranded, generic unhealthy components. For example, an advertisement promoting a packaged ham product on its own may not be allowed, however an advertisement depicting a salad sandwich with a small amount of ham may be permitted. We encourage advertisers to send through any advertisements they would like additional clarity and feedback on for advice from our expert team of public health dietitians.
An independent monitoring and evaluation strategy will be commissioned to assess the impact of the policy and its effectiveness in reducing the exposure of the advertising of unhealthy food and drinks in South Australia.
The government is standing by its decision. So while sugary cereals and soft drinks were expected casualties of the new rules, it’s the quieter pantry dwellers, the shelf-stable overachievers, that have caught the biggest blow.
So what does this mean for commuters? Mostly, fewer ads for bland-but-wholesome snacks and more room for reminders about flu shots and MyGov updates. And what does it mean for flavoured rice cakes? A sudden surge in street cred.
It’s unclear whether the ban will evolve or soften over time. But for now, if your snack can’t pass a rigorous health algorithm, it won’t be making it onto a tram shelter poster any time soon. Bad news for flavoured soy milk.
South Australians will no doubt keep sipping, crunching and scrolling through the debate, one rice cake at a time.
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