|
|
|
|
Ofcom has published an update to its consultation document on television advertising of food and drink products to children of 28 March 2006.
Television Advertising of Food and Drink to Children: Options for new restrictions:
Revisiting calls for a pre-9pm watershed ban
Based on the new data, it remains Ofcom's view that the exclusion of HFSS advertising before 9pm would not meet Ofcom's regulatory objectives and would be disproportionate. Ofcom will therefore not be proposing a restriction on all HFSS advertising before 9pm as part of the policy options in its consultation.
In brief, a pre-9pm ban on HFSS advertising (based on 2005 data) would
- based on 2005 data, remove 89% of recorded advertising impacts on children aged 4-9 years; and
- based on FSA's calculations, the social/health benefits ranges between £53m to £204m.
- However, it would not meet Ofcom's regulatory objectives as
- rather than being targeted at younger children, it would prevent adults from viewing ads for most HFSS products aimed at them;
- it would make TV an unattractive medium for food and drink advertisers as it may, for example, be uneconomic to produce ads if they can only be shown post-9pm
- in qualitative research, the majority of parents who expressed a view indicated that they do not favour a ban on HFSS advertising extending to 9pm;
- Ofcom estimates that it could cost broadcasters around £141m per year in lost advertising, rising to around £175m if Core Category ads were excluded;
- although costs to broadcasters are lower than previously modelled, Ofcom's view is that it is an excessive burden.
- The FAU response will be updated to include this new data, including the arguments against a pre-9pm watershed ban on HFSS advertising.
The closing date for Responses has been extended to 30 June 2006.
The FAU challenges the FSA Board’s call to ban food and drink advertising before 9pm.
|
