When the UK lifts its ban on product placement in TV programmes, the law will exclude a variety of food and drink products, it was revealed yesterday
By Chris Farnell
When moves to legalise product placement were made by British Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw last September, it was originally thought that while children’s programmes would still be out of bounds for product placement, advertisers and programme makers would have free reign elsewhere.
However, in a letter to Cabinet colleagues, Bradshaw has proposed that product placement campaigns will be banned for food and drink products such as alcoholic drinks, junk food that is high in salt, fat or sugar, and baby food.
Gambling, smoking accessories and over-the-counter medicines will also be excluded from the new laws.
The move will displease some advertisers and broadcasters, such as ITV, who looked to generate an additional 140 million pounds a year under the originally proposed laws.
Gary Pope, Director of children's marketing agency Kids Industries, said: "From the perspective of protecting our children, banning the ‘nasties' throughout the day was the only thing to do. It is simplistic to suggest that children simply watch programming explicitly targeting them."
Paul Frampton, Managing Director of Havas' media agency MPG, added: "What they have excluded I would actually agree with, and I don't think it's a huge area of concern.”
Edited by Jennifer Denby
Source: http://www.culture.gov.uk/