Healthy rules take fizz out of kids' TV adverts

Advertising for soft drinks and lollies faces the boot from after-school television under new industry guidelines aimed at shielding children from unhealthy foods.

From July 1, TV2, TV3 and Maori Television will phase out advertising for fatty and sugary foods during designated children's viewing periods.

Commercials for food and drink will have to be approved by the Television Commercials Approval Bureau, an industry vetting body, in order to screen during children's viewing times which are mainly on weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

Products will be scrutinised against Health Ministry healthy eating classifications. Adverts for food or drink deemed unhealthy will be barred.

New Zealand Television Broadcasters Council chief executive Justine Wilkinson said she was unsure which products would fall foul of the new regulations.

Most food and beverage companies the council contacted while formulating the guidelines were "largely supportive", she said.

The new policy has drawn a lukewarm reaction from anti-obesity lobby groups who say it goes only part-way to reducing children's exposure.

Obesity Action Coalition executive director Leigh Sturgiss said she was "far from convinced" by the policy but said it was heartening broadcasters were taking steps to restrict children's exposure to advertising of unhealthy foods.

"The biggie for us is the code does not reflect when kids are watching television," she said.

More than 30 per cent of children were watching television at 8.30 in the evening, well past when the restriction on showing ads for unhealthy children's foods would end.

Fight the Obesity Epidemic has called for a ban on television advertising of junk food before 9pm.

"Three of the four most popular programmes for children screen outside these hours. "This includes The Simpsons," group spokeswoman Celia Murphy said.

- © Fairfax NZ News