Ofcom confirms junk food ad ban

Ofcom has confirmed it will go-ahead with plans to ban junk food advertising to children under 16.

Ofcom has confirmed it will go-ahead with plans to ban junk food advertising to children under 16.

The regulatory body has published its final statement on the introduction of restrictions which were announced in November last year.

The restrictions will now come into effect on a phased basis for all channels beginning in April for programmes that appeal to children under-10.

Broadcasters showing programming for the under 16s will be given until January 2008 before the restrictions come into force.

Children's channels will be allowed a graduated phase-in period with full implementation required by the end of December 2008.

Ofocm have ruled that existing advertising campaigns or those in the final stages of creative execution can be broadcast until the end of June 2007.

However from 1 July 2007 all advertising campaigns must comply with the new content rules.

Ofcom's final statement follows its controversial announcement in November that it was banning television advertising of food and drink products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) on programmes and channels which hold a particular appeal to children under 16 regardless of what time it airs.

The TV industry were rocked by the announcement as they had been expecting the restrictions to extend to programmes which appealed only to children under 10 at certain times of the day.

Coordinator of the Children's Food Campaign Richard Watts, who is campaigning for a full 9pm watershed ban on HFSS advertising, criticised Ofcom's decision to phase in the restrictions.

He said: 'Ofcom has slightly watered down already weak new rules. They have failed to protect children from junk food adverts or help solve the childhood obesity crisis. This is hardly surprising given their insistence on trying to balance the physical health of kids against the economic health of broadcasters.'

Ofcom has said it will review the effectiveness and scope of the new restrictions in autumn 2008, one year after the full implementation of the restrictions.

Earlier this month Ofcom launched its review into the future of children's programming in which it will investigate the extent to which the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, S4C, Five and Teletext are fulfilling their PSB responsibilities.

The research will focus on the current state of children's television, the channels role in providing kids content in the future and international examples of kids programming.

The findings of its research will be published in summer 2007.