Food Advertising Unit response to Health Select Committee Report on obesity

Obesity is a critical issue confronting society and the Committee’s report makes a very important contribution towards moving forward. The Food Advertising Unit (FAU) agrees that if it is to be successfully tackled, effective, long-term solutions that get to the heart of the problem are necessary. The Report recommends a wide range of measures and actions that could usefully be taken, and believes that the food and advertising industries can play a helpful role.

The FAU called for a public education campaign in its evidence to the Committee and is pleased to see that this idea has been adopted and supported by the Committee.

The FAU has been actively exploring ways in which the advertising industry can use its skills and expertise in communicating with consumers to support key healthy living messages. A co-ordinated, well-funded and sustained, multi-media campaign could be a way of doing this and has been proven to work in cases such as drink-driving and road safety.

On the other hand, some of the measures proposed by the Committee appear to be short term responses, rather than based on evidence of effectiveness. Whilst pressure is mounting for the Government to take action now, advertising bans will not be effective in improving health. For example, in Sweden and Quebec, where advertising to children has been banned, levels of obesity are no lower than those in neighbouring countries. The Committee has also not considered the loss of revenue to the media as a result of restrictions on advertising that are likely to lead, for example, to lower quantity and quality of children’s programming.

The Committee looks to Finland as an inspirational example for future UK policy, but the codes on advertising here are already far stricter than their Finnish equivalents.

The broadcast advertising regulator, Ofcom, is currently conducting a review of its code of advertising. The industry supports the need for effective codes, which in the UK are amongst the strictest in the world.

The Committee has recognised that exercise is part of the obesity equation and also needs to be addressed, but the FAU does not think that calling for restrictions on sources of funding for sporting and other healthy pursuits is likely to be helpful in combating childhood obesity.

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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.

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