Ofcom have failed - now the government must step in

Responding to today's announcement by Ofcom on junk food advertising aimed at children, Richard Watts (Campaign Coordinator, Children's Food Campaign) said: "Ofcom's announcement is deeply disappointing. They have caved-in to the powerful food and advertising lobby."

"In effect they have limited restrictions for junk food adverts to the traditional hours of children's TV. We know that over two thirds (71%) of the TV the average child watches is outside these hours, so these restrictions will have almost no effect."

He continued: "A 9pm watershed for junk food adverts is the only way to seriously tackle the childhood obesity epidemic This solution is the most cost effective way of controlling obesity; will save the nation up to a billion pounds a year, many times more than it costs broadcasters; and will help parents by making it clear when junk food ads will be shown."

"Ofcom's remit meant they always had to balance the economic health of industry against the actual health of children, so their recommendations were never going to go far enough. It is now up to the Government to step in and protect children from junk food adverts before 9pm. And given Gordon Brown's support for restrictions until the watershed hour, we are very confident this will happen".

ends.

For further information please contact Richard Watts on 0203 5596 777 or 07710 782719 (mobile) or richard@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 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.
2. Ofcom's own figures show that Children (aged 4-15) watch an average of 17 hours of TV a week: 12 hours (71%) is spent in adult airtime and 5 hours (29%) in children's airtime.
3. Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said on 25 October on GMTV, when talking about the childhood obesity crisis: "we have got to do something about television advertising before the watershed hour".
4. The key childhood obesity facts are:

• One in three children is now obese or overweight.
• Obesity in under-11s has risen by over 40% in ten years.
• The International Obesity Task Force estimates that each year in England 220,000 additional children become overweight or obese.
• The Chief Medical Officer has compared the crisis in children's diets to a health 'time bomb' which must be defused.
• The Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned that for the first time in more than a century, life expectancy may fall, with the real prospect that parents may outlive their children.