New rules have failed to stop children being exposed to increasing amounts of advertising for "junk" food, researchers warn today.
TV companies are not allowed to show adverts for sweets, full-fat products and other unhealthy foods during children’s programmes.
The rules were in full force by 2010 – but a new study shows that advertising during other time-periods was stepped up.
The European Congress on Obesity, meeting in Liverpool, is to be told that this successfully ensured children continued to see as much advertising as before – because most of their television watching takes place at other times.
Joseph Clift, of the British Heart Foundation, said advertisers had used loop-holes in the rules.
He said: "Judging by this research, junk food marketing regulations haven’t had much of an effect on the programming children actually watch.
“It’s not entirely surprising because the job of tackling this form of marketing has been left half baked. We need to better protect children by ensuring all TV and radio advertising of junk food is scheduled after 9pm.
"We also need new rules to close the loophole which allows products outlawed on children’s TV to be marketed to young people on-line and in print.”
Boyland EJ et al. UK television food advertising to children: 2008 versus 2010. European Congress on Obesity, May 2013.
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