On 22 February, the UK media regulator Ofcom released its final statement on television advertising of food and drink products to children after the last phase consultation ended in December 2006. Ofcom has confirmed “it is appropriate and necessary to adopt restrictions intended to reduce significantly the exposure of children under 16 to HFSS advertising.”
A precise statement on scheduling was presented. It applies to all TV channels:
- From 1 April 2007, HFSS advertisements will not be permitted in or around programmes made for children (including pre-school children), or in or around programmes that are likely to be of particular appeal to children aged 4-9;
- From 1 January 2008, HFSS advertisements will not be permitted in or around programmes made for children (including pre-school children), or in or around programmes that are likely to be of particular appeal to children aged 4-15.
Children’s channels will be allowed a period where the new rules will be gradually phased in, with full implementation required by the end of December 2008. In particular, it has been decided that:
- For the period from 1 April 2007 until 31 December 2007 on each dedicated children’s channel, no more than 75% of the average minutage devoted by that channel to HFSS advertising in 2005 shall be allowed.
- For the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008, no more than 50% of the average minutage devoted by that channel to HFSS advertising in 2005 shall be allowed.
- The average minutage will be calculated by deriving an average monthly figure from the 2005 total, and multiplying that by the number of months in the applicable period.
- From 1 January 2009 onwards, the scheduling restrictions will apply in full to dedicated children’s channels.
Regarding content, the new rules come into effect immediately for new advertising campaigns, while existing advertising campaigns or those in the final stages of creative execution can be broadcast until the end of June 2007. From 1 July 2007 all advertising campaigns must comply with the new content rules.
The key measures previously announced in Ofcom’s Statement of 17 November 2006 included:
- Scheduling restrictions will be confined to food and drink products that are assessed as high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) as defined by the Food Standards Agency’s nutrient profiling model;
- A total ban on HFSS food and drink advertisements in and around all programmes of particular appeal to children under 16 from 1 January 2008 (and from programmes of particular appeal to children under 10 from 1 April 2007);
- This would include a total ban in and around all children’s programming and on dedicated children’s channels as well as in youth-oriented and adult programmes which attract a significantly higher than average proportion of viewers under the age of 16;
- In addition to the scheduling restrictions outlined above, content rules will also apply to all food and drink advertising to children irrespective of when it is scheduled. These rules include banning the use of celebrities and characters licensed from third parties, promotional offers and health claims in HFSS product advertisements aimed at primary school children or younger;
- All restrictions on product advertising will apply equally to product sponsorship;
- Ofcom will review the effectiveness and scope of new restrictions in autumn 2008, one year after the full implementation of the new content rules.
Source: The Advertising Education Forum
Next steps:
Discussions continue in the UK Department of Health’s Food and Drink Advertising and Promotion Forum about a possible extension of the proposed broadcast rules to non-broadcast media. The advertising industry’s interests are being represented by ISBA, the UK advertiser association, together with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), the Advertising Association (AA) and the Food Advertising Unit (FAU) as well as the self-regulatory organisation, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The full statement can be viewed at the Ofcom website.
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