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Government rejects calls for ban on junk-food advertising

2011-09-22 12:48:32

By Our Parliamentary correspondent, campaignlive.co.uk, Thursday, 22 September

2011 11:00AM

The Government has dismissed calls to tighten the rules over food ads only a

week after news that Downing Street is considering a ban on all ads aimed at

children.

Change4Life: ministers say public health campaigns will stay

Ministers face criticism for sending mixed signals as the Cabinet Office

rejected a proposal by peers to ban "junk-food" ads during programmes aimed at

adults that are watched by many children.

The confusion suggests that there are differing views inside the Government

over the plan by David Cameron's advisors to ban ads aimed at under-16s in an

attempt to bolster the Coalition's appeal to women. The Cabinet Office

statement reflects the view of several senior ministers that voluntary

agreements are better than bans.

The Lords Science and Technology Committee said the Government should take "a

more realistic view of the range of programmes that children watch". At

present, ads for foods high in fat, sugar and salt are banned during children's

programmes and those with particular appeal to children up to the age of 16.

The Cabinet Office said: "Through self- and co-regulation, there are already

strict controls in place in relation to the advertising of high fat, sugar,

salt foods to children."

Ministers said plans to "nudge" people into changing their behaviour would not

spell the end of public health campaigns such as the "quit smoking" drive.

This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk