UK government consultation on product placement criticised by consumer lobby

On 10 November, members of the Children’s Food Campaign voiced their concern regarding the recently launched government consultation on product placement, calling for “continued protection for children and young people from this secret selling, including that for unhealthy food, in UK-made television programmes.” The government launched a consultation on 9 November 2009, with a view to relax product placement restrictions as prescribed by the EU Audiovisual Media Services (AVMS) Directive.

The government is currently seeking views from stakeholders to determine if, subject to safeguards particularly around potential health concerns, product placement on UK television could be permitted, despite an earlier statement that it would remain banned.

Product placement in children’s programmes will remain prohibited by the AVMC Directive. However, the consultation documents calls for views on the following issues with regard to child audiences:

- “Should any or all product placement be restricted or prohibited in programmes with a disproportionately high child audience?;
- if so, how should that assessment be made in advance of a programme being broadcast?;
- how could a ‘disproportionately high child audience’ be defined?;
- should there be restrictions on placing certain types of products (e.g. HFSS foods or alcohol) in programmes with a disproportionately high child audience?; and if so
- should those restrictions be the same as or greater than those which are currently in place for the scheduling of spot advertising of those products?”

The consultation will run for 8 weeks and closes on 8 January 2010.

Source: Advertising Education Forum