Plans to ban junk food TV ads "don't get to the heart of the issue" says AM

4.33.55pm GMT Mon 20th Nov 2006

Plans by OFCOM to ban junk food TV advertisements from all programmes 'of particular appeal to children under the age of 16', do not go far enough according to the Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, Peter Black.

He is concerned that OFCOM have failed to take account of the diverse viewing habits of children and that as a result the ban will be ineffective.

"Although welcome, these proposals will not get to the heart of the issue," said Mr Black. "Experts say that 70% of the TV programmes that children like to watch are transmitted outside of what is thought of as traditional children's programme times. The OFCOM proposal will not affect programmes like Coronation Street for instance, which is very popular with under-16s."

"A far more effective approach would be to impose a ban on junk food TV ads before the 9 pm watershed. That way, it would hit the programmes children are actually watching, and reduce their exposure to such ads by 80 per cent. Such an initiative would be of particular help here in Wales where we have a specific issue with children's health and with levels of obesity."