Mark Sweney
February 6, 2007
MediaGuardian.co.uk

Supporters of a pre-9pm watershed ban on junk food advertising are increasing pressure on the government to act by introducing a private member's bill.

MPs and campaigning groups are pushing for tougher advertising regulation than Ofcom has decided is necessary to help stem the threat posed to children's health by obesity

Junk food ads: 142 MPs have signed an early day motion for tougher regulation. Photograph: PA

"I am delighted to introduce this bill which, if passed, will make a substantial contribution towards improving children's health, and stopping the childhood obesity epidemic," she said.

"In an effort to control advertising for brands associated with [high fat, salt and sugar] food the bill restricts advertising of food ranges with HFSS items in them."

Health campaigning groups, which include Sustain, the British Medical Association and the National Heart Forum, have already garnered the support of 142 MPs who have signed an early day motion in support of tougher regulation.

In November, Ofcom announced a total ban on junk food advertising around children's programming, on all children's channels and around all programmes that have a "particular appeal" to under-16-year-olds.

The restrictions are much harsher than the TV and advertising industry had been hoping for, but fell short of the complete pre-watershed ban that health campaigners are continuing to seek.

Ofcom is in the final stages of completing an extended consultation on the restrictions concerning under-16s.

The regulator had previously focused on a range of options, including restrictions on advertising to under-nines and during particular periods of the day.

Ofcom is under fire from all sides as its restrictions begin to come into force.

Weekly trade magazine the Grocer is launching a campaign, called Weigh It Up!, that aims to highlight the "absurdities" of the model used to classify what foods are banned from being advertised.

Ofcom used a nutrient profiling model, supplied by the Food Standards Agency, to determine which products are too high in salt, sugar and fat and therefore should be banned.

The Weigh it Up! campaign aims to point out the loopholes in this system. It says that on one hand it bans raisins, certain types of honey, All-Bran, Marmite, cheese and Greek yoghurt, and on the other lets chicken nuggets, curry and plain white bread escape the ban.