Banning “junk food” advertising on television won’t solve obesity, says FAU

Responding to reports that the Government will propose a television advertising ban for certain foods and soft drinks in its Public Health White Paper, expected to be published this week, Jeremy Preston, Director of the Food Advertising Unit, said today:

“The industry supports strict rules on advertising and is prepared to discuss with Ofcom ways in which the food rules in the Television Advertising Code could be tightened up”.

“But a ban on pre-watershed television advertising for certain foods would be a short-term, populist and disproportionate response which is unlikely to have much impact on the problem of obesity”.

“The real issue which needs to be addressed is how to achieve behaviourial change to ensure there is a balance between food intake and energy expenditure levels. The food and advertising industries can play a part in this and have presented proposals to the Government”.

- ends -

Notes to editors

1. The Food Advertising Unit (FAU), based in the offices of the UK Advertising Association is a centre for information, communication and research in the area of food advertising, particularly television advertising to children. The FAU represents media, manufacturers and agencies with an interest in food advertising.

For further information

Contact Suzanne Edmond on 020 7828 2771.

website design