Griffiths' bid to ban junk food adverts for children

Published on Friday 30 November 2007 12:24

CITY MP Nigel Griffiths today announced he will put a Bill before the Westminster parliament to ban junk food advertising aimed at children.

He wants a 9pm watershed for television advertising of items such as burgers, crisps and fizzy drinks, and an end to the promotion of unhealthy food to children in magazines and on websites.

Mr Griffiths, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, won seventh place in the annual ballot for Private Members' Bills, which gives him a good chance of getting a new law on to the statute book.

He said he had decided on trying to outlaw the promotion of junk food because of the damage it was doing to children's health.

A government-backed report published last month forecast 50 per cent of boys and nearly a third of girls would be clinically obese by 2050.

A study by the World Cancer Research Fund has demonstrated a link between poor diet and an increased risk of cancer.

And an unhealthy diet has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and mental health problems.

Mr Griffiths, who is a former Consumer Affairs Minister, will present his Bill in the Commons on Wednesday. He said: "It will seek to stop food companies promoting junk food and an unhealthy diet to children.

"You are already not allowed to promote junk food on children's telly, so there is an acceptance that foods full of saturated fat, salt and carbs have been causing damage to children and are contributing to unacceptable obesity and health problems now and in later life."

He said there were about 50 groups that backed him, including the Consumer Association, BMA and British Heart Foundation.

However, he said: "I don't think it will get a smooth ride from the industry."

The Food and Drink Federation, which represents manufacturers, has described a ban on junk food advertising as "premature".

And the Advertising Association has said a "simplistic ban" would not tackle the "root causes" of obesity. But Richard Watts, co-ordinator of the Children's Food Campaign, said existing restrictions were "fantastically complicated" and did not apply to about 70 per cent of the time when children were watching TV.

He said: "Eighteen out of the 20 TV shows most watched by children - including X Factor, Ant and Dec and Coronation Street - are not covered by the current ban."