Government announces product placement policy

The government has set out plans for introducing product placement on British television.

The policy, which will include warning viewers of programmes that feature product placement, follows a consultation by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Ben Bradshaw, DCMS secretary, said: “As a result of this consultation, the government has concluded that we will be able to allow television product placement in a way that will provide meaningful commercial benefits to commercial television companies and programme makers, while taking account of the legitimate concerns that have been expressed.”

The government plans to follow the EU directive on product placement, which requires that audiences are alerted when it is in place at the beginning and end of relevant shows, as well as after ad breaks.

The policy also bans certain brands and products from running product placement campaigns, including alcohol, high fat foods, high sugar and salt foods, gambling, smoking, prescription medicines, and infant formula products.

However, the following genres will be allowed to use product placement – “cinematographic works, films and series made for television or on-demand services, sports programmes, and light entertainment programmes,” according to Bradshaw.

Although news, current affairs and religious programming with all be exempt, as well as BBC content.

However, product placement will only be completely approved once Ofcom has carried out a public consultation on the policy, which is likely to take place later this year.