Tobacco Advertisers Face Tough New Rules
The latest crack down on the advertising industry sees the Governement placing strict regulations on advertising cigarettes and tobacco products in shops, pubs and clubs ensuring that advertising is confined to a small area and only where the tobacco is displayed. Adverts will also include health warnings covering 30% of adspace.
The new rules, that came into force at the beginning of the week, are part of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act and will see any infringement of the law result in fines of up to £5,000 or five months in prison.
At the launch of the new regulations John Reid, Health Secretary said: “These new regulations will mean that people will no longer be bombarded by the large, colourful tobacco advertising at their local supermarket of corner shop. The advertising will be rightly confined to a small area and only on the place where the tobacco is displayed.”
The clampdown on advertising follows a victory by the Department of Health in a legal battle against tobacco manufacturers in their bid to overturn the regulations in October.
Welcoming the introduction of the new regulations, Jean King, director of tobacco control at Cancer Research UK, said: “Point of sale has been an opportunity for tobacco companies to promote their deadly products and we are pleased that this loophole has now been closed. We fully support a ban on all tobacco advertising and promotion because research shows it saves lives.”
Recently advertisers have had to contend with a series of harsh restrictions on advertising goods. Junk food advertisers have come under threat and there have been calls for the Government to block alcohol advertising (see Ofcom Finalises Revamped Alcohol Advertising Code).
Department Of Health: 0800 072 4454 www.dh.gov.uk
Recent Stories from NewsLine HomeChoice To Launch TV Based Music Download Service Sky Secures Buena Vista For Pub Advert Takeover First Results From BARB’s Lifestyle Survey Published
Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive