MPs Demand Junk Ad Ban From Ofcom

A delegation of Labour MPs, led by sponsor of the Children’s Food Bill, Mary Creagh, has today met the communications regulator Ofcom to demand a pre-9pm ban on junk food advertising aimed at children.

Ms Creagh, MP for Wakefield, has today tabled an Early Day Motion calling on Ofcom to give equal weight to the 9pm watershed and consider the health and well being of young people. She has also criticised the consultation document as “impenetrable”.

“A 9pm watershed is the only way to stop junk food advertising to children and tackle the time-bomb of childhood obesity,” she said.

“The programmes most watched by children are family shows like Coronation Street and Eastenders. Ofcom are ignoring this by ruling out a 9pm watershed in their consultation and offering tame alternatives.

“They say the costs would be ‘disproportionate’ for advertisers and food manufacturers but what about the cost of child obesity to the NHS and society in general?”

Ofcom has proposed a series of options in their consultation on advertising to children (see Fast Foods and Fat Kids). However, they have ruled out a 9pm watershed on junk food adverts.

At the Westminster Diet and Health Forum consultation seminar last week, ITV director of regulatory affairs, Christy Swords, warned that independent television programmes could suffer if the pre-9pm ban on food advertising targeting children is introduced (see Ad Ban To Hurt Independent TV Shows).

Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk