‘Extend TV food ad ban to 9pm to protect children,’ Cork TD says

A CORK TD has called for the 6pm television advertising watershed for junk food and drinks to be extended to 9pm to help curb childhood obesity.

Colm Burke, TD, Fine Gael’s health spokesperson, said that further restriction of the advertising of high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar (HFSS) products, both on television and online, should be examined by the new media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, to limit the exposure of harmful and unhealthy content to children.

Mr Burke said: 

“Overweight and obesity pose an increasing challenge in Ireland, with 60% of adults and 20% of children and young people living with them, conditions associated with multiple complications, including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, several types of cancer, and a poorer quality of life.”

The lifetime cost of childhood obesity, including direct healthcare and societal consequences, is €4.6bn in Ireland.

The Fine Gael TD said, “In an ever-increasing digital world, children are being exposed to the marketing and promotion of junk food and beverages, which is fuelling a widescale crisis that is threatening their health and wellbeing and that of future generations.”

Current Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) rules restrict the televising of HFSS foods and drinks on children’s programmes before 6pm.

In 2021, the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) also introduced rules that restrict marketing communications for HFSS foods, when more than 50% of the target audience is under 15.

“However, some stakeholders claim the existing regulations fall short from pervasive and sophisticated marketing methods employed by some food companies in targeting children with junk food and beverage products,” said Mr Burke.

“They state that children are still being exposed to junk-food ads during prime-time shows and past the 6pm watershed, when they are likely to watch TV with their families,” he said.

The Irish Heart Foundation has cited research that young children are still likely to see 1,000 television advertisements a year for unhealthy foods, and that older children, who watch later in to the evening, probably view substantially more.

“Coimisiún na Meán, the new media regulator, is responsible for regulating broadcasters and online media and takes on the work previously done by the BAI,” Mr Burke said.

“The establishment of Coimisiún na Meán, under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2023, provides for the creation of rules that ‘may prohibit or restrict… the inclusion in programmes of commercial communications relating to foods or beverages considered by the commission to be the subject of public concern in respect of the general public health interests of children… those foods or beverages which contain fat, trans-fatty acids, salts or sugars’.”

Mr Burke said that he has been informed that the Department of Health is engaging with the commission on this issue.

“I believe the commission should, therefore, consider extending the broadcast ban to 9pm and also examine the digital-media tactics employed by companies targeting children with their advertising through various social-media channels.”

“The views of parents and advocacy groups should also be listened to when it comes to protecting the health and wellbeing of children.”