Pre-9pm Ban On Junk Food Ads Could Cost Broadcasters £450m

A pre-9pm ban on junk food ads could cost commercial broadcasters £450 million in lost ad revenues, according to a report.

Brand Republic reports that despite a previous estimate from regulator Ofcom that a pre-watershed ban on the TV advertising of alcohol and foods high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) could cost broadcasters £250 million, ITV managing director of brand and communications Rupert Howell said it could cost as much as an additional £200 million.

Howell said that a ban of this kind would result in station average prices dropping, and would be a disaster for broadcasters such as Channel 4 and Sky Sports as well as failing to curb binge or underage drinking, said Brand Republic.

Speaking at an event organised by the Wine and Spirit Association, Howell argued that the current restrictions on the creative content of drinks ads had made them less effective and denounced them as ‘over-fussy and over nannying’.

He added that ITV had positive discussions with ministers from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Health, although he accused Ed Balls, secretary of state for Children Schools and Families, of making ‘misguided’ statements around the launch of the Children’s Plan last year

In January, it was announced that government plans for a pre-9pm ban on TV junk food advertising had been shelved, instead spending some of the £300 million anti-obesity strategy budget on a campaign highlighting the problem (see Government Backs Down On Junk Food Ads).

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