Responsible Marketing

Marketing to Children and Obesity

Obesity is a complex issue and marketing restrictions alone will not solve this multifaceted problem. For instance: Ofcom research shows that advertising has only a 'modest direct effect' on children's food choices of approximately 2%.

That's why industry is undertaking a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives to assist consumers tackle this issue. For example companies are reformulating products; offering a choice of alternatives that are lower in fat, sugar or salt; providing clearer nutritional labelling; and promoting the importance of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

Action on Marketing to Children

The food and drink manufacturing industry now operates in one of the most regulated advertising environments in the world.

A number of tough rules have been introduced:

  • February 2007: Ofcom introduced new rules to control the volume and content of food and drink TV advertising to children.
  • April 2007: new rules for the content of non-broadcast advertising were published by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), which prevent the use of celebrities and licensed characters, promotional offers and health and nutrition claims in food and drink ads directly targeted at under-12s.
  • Sept 2010: New updated CAP and BCAP Codes came into effect; the codes were revised to ensure they are up to date and provide adequate protection to children and young people.

The new rules for Children's channels introduced in 2007 allowed for a graduated phase-in period with full implementation of the restrictions required as from 01 January 2009.

Between July 2007 - June 2008 Ofcom had undertaken a review of the impact of its restrictions which proved that the existing rules are working and that children view fewer TV adverts for less healthy foods. In April 2010 Ofcom conducted a further review of the restrictions based on full year data for 2008 and 2009; in addition it assessed the impact of the final phase of the rules. In July 2010, Ofcom announced that the rules were working; it would maintain current restrictions and not extend them further.

Following a two year review, in March 2010, CAP and BCAP (Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice) announced the publication of new updated codes, which came into effect on 1st September 2010. The Codes were revised to ensure they are up to date and provide adequate protection to children and young people.

The Codes are now easier to use; there is a single Broadcast advertising code, a clearer format and greater consistency for CAP and BCAP. CAPs digital remit has now been extended to cover marketers own marketing communications, (i.e companies corporate websites). This will now allow the Advertising Standards Authority to apply the Code to online marketing communications that previously sat outside their remit. The new digital remit will come into effect on 1 March 2011.

Marketing to children is expected to form part of Andrew Lansley's Responsibility Deal negotiations with industry.

More Information


Last reviewed: 30 Jun 2010