New restrictions on non-broadcast ads to children unveiled

by Mark Banham, Brand Republic 11-Apr-07, 12:00

LONDON - The Committee of Advertising Practice is introducing stringent new content rules for food and soft drink ads targeting children, which will come into force on July 1 this year.

Designed to help protect children's health, the new rules refer to non-broadcast media such as press, outdoor and online, and are a response to public concern about rising levels of childhood obesity.

In response to Ofcom's recent ban on the advertising of products with high fat, salt or sugar around children's programming on all children's channels and during shows that have particular appeal to under 16-year-olds, the new rules also state that content in non-TV HFSS advertising targeting children should not use licensed characters, such as Tweenies or Teletubbies, nor celebrities popular with children "if targeted directly at pre-school or primary school children" and "should not condone or encourage poor nutritional habits or an unhealthy lifestyle in children".

Characters specially created by brands for the marketing of products, such as the cheese-dreadlocked character used for Cheestrings, will not be banned from use.

In addition, non-broadcast advertising must not encourage excessive consumption of food or drink product, nor use promotional offers in an irresponsible way, employing "high pressure" or "hard sell" techniques.

Soft drink and food advertising must also not "give a misleading impression of the nutritional health benefits of the product".

The ruling will apply to all soft drinks and food advertising and not just selected products, and regard advertising to children under the age of 16.

The new rules will be policed by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The CAP has produced the directive in response to the Department of Health's Choosing Health White Paper, which asked for stronger controls on non-broadcast advertising for food and drink products.

Andrew Brown, chairman of CAP, said: "These comprehensive new rules are designed to help protect children's health while still allowing advertisers an appropriate degree of freedom to promote their products. Childhood obesity and the future of children's health are of prime concern to all and these measures represent a strong commitment by advertisers to promote all food and drink products responsibly."

CAP has also produced a Help Note to give advertisers guidance on how the rules are intended to be interpreted and applied.