Food industry attacks Food Standards Agency policy on ads during children's TV

by Gemma Charles, marketingmagazine.co.uk 20-Mar-09, 15:25

LONDON - The Food Standards Agency has been attacked by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) for refusing to change a key element of its nutrient profiling model which governs which products can be advertised during children's TV programmes.

Next week the FSA Board will recommend that a protein cap is retained in the model. The protein cap prevents foods containing high levels of fat, salt or sugar, being classed as 'healthier' by virtue of their protein content. The lifting of the cap would result in a limited number of additional products, mainly breakfast cereals and some crisps, being allowed to be advertised on television to children.

Despite this being recommended by an independent review panel, the board recommends that the protein cap is retained. At its meeting on Wednesday, the Board will agree the advice that is given to Health Ministers.

Julian Hunt, FDF Director of Communications, said: ‘We are baffled by this recommendation from Food Standards Agency officials to the board. An independent panel of experts has been conducting a thorough review of the nutrient profiling model for almost two years. At the last minute, without any consultation, officials are proposing that one of the independent panel's key recommendations should be overturned - apparently because of concerns that products such as organic rice cakes, breadsticks and fruity muesli will now ‘pass' the profiling model.

‘The Board paper published today provides no good reasons to support the overturning of the independent panel's advice and we urge FSA Board members to reject this recommendation,' he added.