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Advertising: Food

Volume 476: debated on Tuesday 3 June 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will complete the work on producing codes of conduct governing the advertising and promotion of unhealthy foods to children online or via mobile telephones, as outlined in the Prime Minister's speech of 7 January 2008. (207791)

Both the Government and industry recognise that the advertising regulatory system must remain effective in the digital age.

The advertising industry has therefore set up a Digital Media Group to develop proposals for extending the remit of the self-regulatory system, which currently has robust rules governing food advertising to children, to all types of mobile and online advertising.

The Government have committed to reviewing the work of the Digital Media Group in spring 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) whether he plans to ask Ofcom to strengthen its restrictions on adverts on television for foods high in fat, sugar and salt which appear adjacent to programmes produced for children; (207792)

(2) whether he plans to further restrict adverts for foods high in fat, sugar and salt which occur when the highest number of children are watching television;

(3) whether he plans to impose further restrictions on the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar and salt across all broadcast and non-broadcast media.

As set out in the “Public Health White Paper” and the recent obesity strategy, the Government are committed to reviewing the food advertising regulations across all media. Furthermore, in July 2008 Ofcom will begin its own review of the impact of the current broadcasting restrictions on food promotion to children.

The findings of these reviews into the effectiveness of the food advertising codes will be taken into account in formulating and enforcing revised codes, if so needed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish the results of Ofcom's review of the advertising of unhealthy foods to children; and whether he is considering further restrictions in this area. (207796)

Both the Government and Ofcom are committed to reviewing the impact of the current restrictions on food promotion to children. Ofcom will begin its own review in July 2008 and will report its early findings as soon as possible. The findings of these reviews into the effectiveness of the food advertising codes will be taken into account in formulating and enforcing revised codes, if so needed.