Loopholes on brand advertising and sponsorship could scupper junk food ad ban

In anticipation of the imminent announcement of new rules on junk food advertising from Ofcom, the National Heart Forum and Sustain (the alliance for better food and farming) cautioned MPs today (26 October) that proposals could be fatally flawed if they do not deal with brand as well as product advertising.

In a briefing note to all MPs highlighting the health and social benefits that would flow from a restriction on junk food advertising before 9pm, the two charities also drew attention to the possibility that apparently robust restrictions on junk food ads may not remove commercial pressures on children if Ofcom opts to permit brand advertising and sponsorship (where no product appears).
 
“Ofcom's draft proposals do not apply to brand advertising. Unless they do, it will leave the door wide open for junk food and drink companies to shift their marketing spend into programme and channel sponsorship, and into the sort of high-impact brand image advertisements we saw on billboards from tobacco companies in the 1990s,” said Jane Landon, deputy chief executive of the National Heart Forum.
 
“Ofcom clearly recognises the risks of leaving brand advertising unregulated, but it is likely to be under huge pressure from the junk food companies and advertisers to throw them a lifeline. We now hear that Ofcom will permit entire commercial channels to be sponsored. Sponsorship is like any other bit of marketing – it promotes a product to a target audience. If Cadbury's sponsorship of Coronation Street does not ultimately sell chocolate, then what does it do?” said Richard Watts, coordinator of the Children's Food Campaign at Sustain.
 
Only this week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown MP said he supported a restriction on junk food advertising up to 9pm as part of a comprehensive range of measure to improve children's health and well-being.

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Downloads

MP's breifing coveirng letter (104kb PDF)
Ofcom pre announcement breifing for MPs (136kb PDF)

Media enquiries: 

Jane Landon, National Heart Forum, 020 7383 7638 or jane.landon@heartforum.org.uk;
Richard Watts, Sustain, 0203 5596 777 or Richard@sustainweb.org

Notes to editors:

The National Heart Forum (NHF) is an alliance of 50 national organisations working to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, the UK's biggest single – yet largely preventable – cause of death and disease. See: http://www.heartforum.org.uk/
 
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 supported by over 300 organisations, almost 300 MPs and 12,000 members of the public.  We were behind the ground-breaking Children's Food Bill introduced into Parliament last year.  The Children's Food Campaign is coordinated by 'Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming'.
 
Ofcom's consultation on TV food advertising to children closed in June 2006 and the regulator is due to announce its proposals. A 9pm watershed restriction on high fat, sugar and salt foods would reduce children's exposure to this type of advertising by 82%. Such a measure is supported by 29 national health charities and organisations, 14 consumer and public interest organisations, Ofcom's own advisory committee for England, the Office of the Children's Commissioner, the Food Standards Agency and over 1,000 parents and concerned individuals.
 
Ofcom announced yesterday (25 October) that it will amend the Broadcasting Code to allow sponsorship of commercial television channels and radio stations.
 
Programme sponsorship has been allowed for 15 years and marketing spend has leapt from £7m in 1990 to an estimated £99m in 1996 (Mintel 1997). Food products accounted for 45% of all programme sponsorship in 2004. (Ofcom consultation document, 2006).