21 January 2008
In response to the Protecting Children report prepared by the British Heart Foundation, which calls for tighter regulations on junk food marketing to children, Colin Walker, Food Campaigner at Which? says:
“This latest report reaffirms the findings of Which?’s own extensive research into the ineffectiveness of current restrictions on the marketing of junk food to children. Which? found that 18 of the 20 programmes most watched by children were not covered by the Ofcom restrictions, and all of these feature adverts for junk food*. This is clearly only the tip of the iceberg. With promotions on food packaging, within computer games and on popular social networking and child-orientated websites, companies are targeting children from any angle they can.
“The Food Products (Marketing to Children) Bill tabled by Nigel Griffiths MP** is enormously important if we are to protect our children from this onslaught of junk food. We are calling on all politicians - and indeed the public - to join our campaign, support the Bill and help tackle childhood obesity head on.”
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* Which? looked at the TV viewing figures for ITV 1, Channel 4 and 5 from 1-14 September 2007 to reveal which programmes children under age 10 and children under age 16 were watching in the largest numbers. Researchers from the British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group at Oxford University then analysed the foods advertised during these programmes using the Food Standards Agency’s Nutrient Profiling Model. Foods that are ‘less healthy’ as defined by the Nutrient Profiling Model cannot be advertised during programmes ‘of appeal’ to children. To view the report, visit: www.which.co.uk/kidsfood
** Which? is supporting Nigel Griffiths MP as he brings forward his Food Products (Marketing to Children) Bill. This Bill seeks to introduce a 9pm watershed on the advertising and promotion of foods that are deemed ‘less healthy’ under the Food Standard Agency’s Nutrient Profiling Model across television and radio. It also seeks to introduce robust restrictions on adverts and promotions for these foods across non-broadcast media, such as the internet, text messaging and food packaging. The Bill receives its second reading on the 25th April 2008. EDM 445, tabled in support of this Bill, has already received over 100 signatures.
