CAP Puts Forward Radical Plan For Food Ads

The Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) is near to agreeing a plan which could see all food and drink advertising, except ads for fruit and vegetables, banned from non-broadcast media.

The plan was raised at yesterday’s Department of Health food and drink advertising and promotion forum and, according to a report in the Guardian, it goes much further than Ofcom’s ban on TV ads.

In November Ofcom announced that it would be banning junk food ads from all children’s programming, broadcast at any time of day or night, which hold particular appeal for children up to 16 (see Ofcom Bans Junk Food Ads In Children’s Programming).

These changes will come into immediate effect for the content of new TV advertisements, with all advertisements having to adhere to the content restrictions from 1 July. The rules will be enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

CAP, who would handle the extension of advertising restrictions to cover non-broadcast media, was planning to meet today to discuss the plan, however, it has now been postponed until Ofcom has finished its final consultation on TV advertising.

Apparently, CAP is unhappy with the FSA’s labelling of foods (see Food Standards Agency Launches Ad Campaign) on the basis that it is inaccurate.

CAP has therefore proposed that a simplified system be used which includes an exemption category, currently of only fruit and vegetables, however this system has not yet been agreed by all CAP members.

CAP: www.cap.org.uk