Food Advertising on Television

• The Government is continuing the policy of restricting advertising of unhealthy food during children’s TV.

• The Public Health White Paper in November 2004 said that the Labour Government wanted progress on the advertising of unhealthy food for children. After a review and consultation, Ofcom decided to ban the promotion of unhealthy food (as defined by the Food Standards Agency) for programmes aimed at children under 16. Further restrictions on promotion of such food – including a ban on the use of celebrity characters – were also introduced.

• Ofcom’s final review of the advertising ban, in July 2010, estimated that children had watched 37% less advertising for junk food than before the 2007 ban.

• Research published in 2012 suggests that the amount of junk food advertising watched by children is higher than before the ban.