Junk food ad crackdown announced

On November 17th, Ofcom published details of restrictions intended to limit children’s exposure to television advertising of food and drink products high in fat, salt and sugar. These measures will come into effect before the end of January 2007.

(Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the United Kingdom communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.)

The measures will apply to:
-All pre-school children's programmes
-All programmes on mainstream channels aimed at children
-All cable and satellite children's channels
-Programmes aimed at young people, such as music shows
-General entertainment programmes which would appeal to a "higher than average" number of under-16s.

Some of the measures:
-Junk food ads during TV programmes targeted at under-16s will be banned. ( junk foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar)
-There will be a total ban on ads during children's programmes and on children's channels, as well as adult programmes watched by a large number of children.
- The use of celebrities and characters, such as cartoon heroes, free gifts and health or nutrition claims will be banned.

Views:
Ed Richards, Ofcom chief executive, said: "We will introduce significant but proportionate measures to protect children under 16. We will look to advertisers and broadcasters to follow both the spirit as well as the letter of the rules we are putting in place."

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, Head of Science and Ethics at the British Medical Association, said: "Ofcom's ban does not go far enough. Some of the most popular programmes amongst the under-16s are soaps which will not be covered by this ban. We must use all the weapons in our armoury to prevent the next generation of British children being the most obese and unhealthy in history.”

Paul Lincoln, chief executive of the National Heart Forum, said: "This represents a missed opportunity by Ofcom."

Melanie Leech, director of the Food and Drink Federation said: “Ofcom's regulations were over the top.”

David Lynn, of children's channel Nickleodeon, said: "There's no doubt that the restrictions announced today very tough and that they are going to impact on the quality of kids' programming in the UK. They amount for a total ban on advertising for dedicated children's channels."

A spokesman for the government said: "We welcome Ofcom's report and their proposals to tighten the restrictions on the advertising of unhealthy foods during programmes that children watch."


For the whole BBC text, click here.

Your reaction:

What do you think? Are these measures good? Adequate?
What would you do in your country? Are such measures mecessary?