TV JuNk FoOd EsCaPe CrAckDoWn...

Campaigners say the failure to ban commercials before 9pm will harm the fight against obesity

Health campaigners claim new rules to be published restricting the advertising of junk food to children on television will be too weak to halt the soaring levels of obesity.

Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, is finalising a series of recommendations, which it will present to the government, on how to limit the number of adverts seen by children for products that contain unhealthy high levels of fat, salt and sugar.

But campaign groups such as the National Heart Forum, National Children's Bureau and food lobby group Sustain hit out yesterday at Ofcom's expected decision to reject widespread calls for all junk food commercials to be banned before the 9pm children's viewing 'watershed'.

'We are expecting a set of proposals that don't go far enough to tackle the crisis that we have in children's diet and reduce diet-related ill-health, such as obesity,' said Richard Watts of Sustain. 'We expect their advice to ministers to be disappointing and too weak to help play a part in solving these problems.'

Campaigners said implementing a ban on ads before 9pm, a move Ofcom has previously described as 'disproportionate', would be the single most meaningful route to help cut consumption of sweets, fast-food and fizzy drinks by the under-10s. Ofcom found that a ban would cost ITV, Channel 4 and Five about £100m a year in lost advertising and did not command widespread public support.

The regulator has already announced plans to stop celebrities being used to advertise junk food during shows that are likely to attract younger viewers, a move that would prevent ads showing Beyonce promoting Pepsi and Gary Lineker doing the same for Walkers Crisps for example.

The Food and Drink Federation, which represents food manufacturers, has proposed a series of voluntary restrictions in an attempt to head off more stringent action, including an end to cartoon characters, celebrities and movie characters, or collectable gifts such as small toys, being used in adverts aimed at children. Food and drink commercials would be cut back to 30 seconds an hour all day on specialist children's channels such as GMTV Kids, the FDF added.

Government sources say Ofcom's proposals are one element of a wider strategy to limit the promotion of junk food and that a new voluntary code of conduct covering packaging, billboards and in-store advertisements will soon be forthcoming to complement efforts across Whitehall to end the increase in childhood obesity.

My CoMmEnTs...
I believe that there is no reason for the off com to introduce this banning. Fast food has been on televison adverts for so many years. Children are aware of these foods existing. So even if you advertise them or not.. they still will crave for burgers, chips and other fatty foods that arent good for them. Maybe it will stop encouraging them to eat them but iniatially its the parents who purchase the food for them and not them. ITs up to the parents and not the advertisers.