Date Published:
11 April 2007 |
New CAP rules don’t do enough to protect children
Which? responds to today’s announcement by the Committee of
Advertising Practice (CAP) of new rules for non-broadcast food and soft drink
product advertisements
and children.
Sue Davies, chief policy adviser, Which? said:
“ The food industry and advertisers have missed an opportunity to
show that they genuinely want to take a more responsible approach to the
way foods
are promoted to children.
_ While we welcome the steps to protect younger
children, it is very disappointing that the rules for older children are
so vague .Terms such as ‘a
due sense of responsibility’ and ‘not condoning or encouraging
poor nutritional habits’ are too open to interpretation and will allow
companies to continue targeting children above primary school age.
_ The new rules state that celebrities and
licensed characters won’t
be able to advertise food to younger children but they will still be allowed
to promote unhealthy foods to older children while characters created by food
companies such as the Nesquick Bunny will not be covered at all.”
_ The CAP code doesn’t cover important types of promotion such
as packaging and company websites. The Government needs to urgently step in
and tackle this whole area.”
Parents who feel that the Government and the food industry are not doing enough
to combat the marketing of unhealthy foods to children can fight back.
Visit
which.co.uk/kidsfood to download a Which? Kids’ Food Campaign Toolkit.
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the Which.co.uk on 11 April 2007
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