Junk food ads get smaller portion of TV time for advertising

New restrictions on junk food advertising for children are to be imposed by the Government.

New restrictions on junk food advertising for children are to be imposed by the Government.

Advertising of sweets, snacks and junk food on television will be restricted at certain times of the day. The crackdown, in the public health White Paper next week, follows concerns among ministers that advertisers are trying to sell breakfast cereals, snacks and pre-prepared lunch boxes packed with sugar, salt and fat by aiming commercials at children.

New guidelines will be issued to advertisers, and television channels will be told they must alternate ads on children's programmes for junk food with other commercials.

Companies such as Coca-Cola, Sunny Delight and McDonald's will be affected by the new measures. But, despite lobbying from doctors, John Reid, the Health Secretary, and Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, decided to stop short of an blanket ban on ads targeting children.