Ofcom’s final review, published today, of restrictions on the television advertising of food and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) has shown that, while the rules are reducing the amount of junk food advertising children see, they have been less effective than predicted.

The figures show that, while Ofcom had predicted that the restrictions would reduce children’s overall exposure to HFSS advertising by 41%, in fact the reduction falls short of this at 37%, and for older children, the reduction is only 22%.  Much of the remaining junk food ads children see fall between 6 and 9pm.

Children’s Food Campaign Coordinator Christine Haigh, said:
“The review shows what we’ve always said: that regulation of food advertising to children is needed to reduce children’s exposure to junk food marketing.  However, it also shows that the current regulations don’t go far enough.  As we argued when the restrictions were introduced, we need a tougher approach to protecting children from junk food marketing if we are to address the record levels of childhood obesity in this country.  The figures show that a 9pm watershed would be a more effective way of protecting children.  Meanwhile we know that marketers are finding increasingly clever ways to target children through media such as the internet.  If the Coalition Government is serious about protecting children from “excessive commercialisation”, then these loopholes need to be closed urgently.”

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For further information and interviews, please contact Christine Haigh on 07870 577934 or Christine@sustainweb.org.

Notes to editors:

1. The Children's Food Campaign wants to improve children's health and well-being through better food - and food teaching - in schools, and protecting children from junk food marketing. We are coordinated by Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, supported by over 150 national organisations and funded by the British Heart Foundation.
2. Ofcom’s final review of HFSS advertising restrictions is available at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/tv-research/hfss-review-final.pdf 
3. “HFSS” refers to products high is fat, sugar or salt, as defined by the Food Standards Agency’s nutrient profiling model.  For more details, see http://www.food.gov.uk/healthiereating/advertisingtochildren/nutlab
4. For more information on our proposals for protecting children from junk food marketing, visit http://www.sustainweb.org/childrensfoodcampaign/junk_food_marketing