http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6331961.stmThe company that makes chocolate bars such as Mars and Snickers, is to stop targeting its advertising at under-12s.
Masterfoods will stop advertising in magazines and
television programmes intended for children under the age of 12 by the
end of the year.
Masterfoods, which also makes Twix and Maltesers, already has a policy of not targeting children under six.
The move comes after TV watchdog Ofcom said it would ban junk food advertising during TV shows aimed at under-16s.
In the November announcement, the regulator also warned
that it would ban such adverts during adult programmes that are watched
by a lot of children.
There have been suggestions that Masterfoods is taking
action voluntarily before it is forced to by regulators, either in the
UK or in Europe.
Jeremy Baker from London Metropolitan University says
"they're being forced to do this by Ofcom anyway and now they're making
a good PR gesture out of it".
Age for protection
Masterfoods may also be trying to make a statement about which age-groups need protecting, experts said.
Ofcom plans to ban junk food advertising from programmes
aimed at children under-16, while Masterfoods' unilateral ban targets
children under-12.
"There's no evidence whatsoever that under 16-year-olds
need protecting from this kind of advertising," said Hamish Pringle
from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.
Masterfoods' new policy will also cover websites targeted at children.
It is unclear how the company will prevent children
gaining access to sites promoting its products, but some of its
websites currently offer games and screensavers for children.
'Measures too broad'
When Ofcom's measures are brought in a Food Standards
Agency (FSA) ratings system will be used to assess which foods are too
high in fat, sugar and salt to be advertised to children.
But there have been some complaints that the system would also outlaw advertising for some popular products.
For example, the FSA's measure would lead to adverts for cheese, honey and Marmite being banned, the Grocer magazine said.
News of Masterfoods' decision comes as the European
Union's committee on diet, physical activity and health is meeting in
Brussels to discuss what progress companies are making on
self-regulation.
