Advertising effects on body image - Junk food adverts

The advertising industry is hoping the government will not cave to pressure to introduce a pre-9pm ban on junk food TV advertising, after receiving an encouraging letter from public health minister Dawn Primarolo.

The letter, sent to Baroness Peta Buscombe, the chief executive of the Advertising Association, stated that the government's new obesity strategy would "draw heavily upon partnership".

The tone of the note and its suggestion of a collaborative approach have been taken by the industry as a sign that campaigners' calls for a pre-9pm ad ban will not railroad the government into any action without a full evidence-based process.

Media watchdog Ofcom has estimated that a blanket pre-watershed ban will cost £211m in lost ad revenues.

"We welcome the changes that food manufacturers have already made in advertising directed at children, and are keen to strengthen existing partnerships with the food and advertising industries," Primarolo wrote.

"The new obesity strategy will draw heavily upon partnership with a wide range of stakeholders, in which food advertising industries will undoubtedly play a key role.

"We are eager to address all aspects of the obesity problem, working in partnership with the private sector and society in general to make a real impact on the health of our nation."

Primarolo was responding to a query from the Advertising Association about the government's intentions.

The industry was alarmed last month after health secretary Alan Johnson said junk food ad restrictions should be extended to cover family programmes such as The X Factor.

The advertising industry argues that existing Ofcom restrictions go far enough.

These include a mechanism to assess which shows have an "above average" appeal to under-16s and therefore cannot run any junk food ads.

"I am tired of [advertising] being used as a scapegoat for some of society's genuine problems, and increasingly angry at the distorted arguments being used by some of its opponents," said Tess Alps, the chief executive of TV marketing body Thinkbox, at an advertising conference earlier this month.

"Nobody wants to see irresponsible advertising, including the overwhelming majority of advertisers. Advertising operates under a very successful co-regulation system.

"It adapts to changes in society so that it reflects current moral attitudes. What it does not do – and should never do – is knee-jerk to the agenda of single-interest groups".