Junk food ads banned during childrens TV *Has The world gone mad!!*

Amazing, thanks for the link

I feel the same way about bananas - I feel sick when I smell them to the point that I have to leave the room and it can take up to half an hour to feel right again.

It could be something like what you are talking about, or just the fact that they are horrid

some interesting information here.

All very good points.
as a parent of two i am a big fan of the word NO it works. we do go to some fast food places every now and again but the rest of the time we eat nice fresh real meals made from scratch. i have always served healthy food to the kids, its actually much cheeper too.

i personaly don't think banning the ads is going to be make any difference. the majority of parents just shop in the super markets and i think more effort and energy should be put into adressing the way they 'push the junk' with selling srtatagies such as the eye level selling techinque. i think for far too long parents have just been giving onto their children for an easy life, this is illustrated by the huge amounts of publicity and other tv programms that are now showing over weight teenagers. They didn't juyst get like it over night. if they kept the adverts and used the money to train more health visitors for example that may help. get the parents while the children are young.More lessons in school about it and perhaps parenting classes too.
the smoking ads got banned and yet the child smoking rate is at its highest. Banning the junk food ads now is not going to stop the parents from buying the same things as they always have, leading to the possibility of those children growing up and feeding their children the same.

The food companies will find another way of getting into the homes, anyone esle notice that when the schools stopped selling chips as much the news papers and magazines started to fill with money off cupons and cupons for free chips!! i wonder how long it will take for this to happen with other things now the companies have some money to burn.

as for supermarkest Vs individual shops, markets farms, or actually growng your own .... don't get me started. ,

so true!

Who says the ingredients in Mcfood are a big secret? The ingredients are listed online in websites like this one which took me less than a minute to find.

Thing is, the letter designation when applied to beef ( this is different when used with chicken ) applies to the age of the cow, nothing more. So a statement like "McDonalds uses grade E beef" really means that they're buying old dairy cows, nothing more....But maybe things are different in the UK.

The big problem with mcfood is the fat content

Anyways...back on topic..I have a hard time opposing any scheme that tries to limit advertising, especially to children, who we all know aren't really interested or capable of making informed buying decisions.

i see it as moderation
the parents need to enforce a healthy diet...and yes junk food tastes heavenly by the way
one thing that i used to do to avoid the "ready to nuke" meals is cook everything on sunday and wrap up meals for each day...homecooked at least
i think it would be better to ban snack machines in the school, rather than ads on the tv

how many children do you know who watch tv during these times buy the weekly shop? the adverts are not being taken off durning other TV programms that kids will also see eg the dodgy soaps.
when some schools banned chips from the menu at school some parents were caught selling chips and burgers to the kids through the play ground fences.

in my opinion the nanny state is just getting worse and worse.

What sort of diet do you suppose you'd end up with if you let children do the weekly shop ? If the answers a balanced diet, then you've taught your children well. If the answers junk food, then advertising has taught your children well.

Is selling chips and burgers to kids through a schoolyard fence legal in the UK ? If I went out and tried that here, I could expect trouble, but it does raise the interesting idea about parking a mobile chip shop outside a schoolyard....would that fly ?

Quite ofter, we as a society tend to blame our social woes on the government, at least the British government can't be accused of inaction when it comes to childhood obesity. We have the same issues here, but more revolving around what's in the vending machines as very few of our schools have cafeterias in them.

IMO,,, the nanny state goes too far when they apply this sort of tactic to adults,,like banning junk food advertising during the dodgy soaps.

GothFrogette:
I know you don't believe it's the answer to the whole issue - I don't think even the government claims that - but if the advertisements don't lead to your children eating junk food, yet could prevent that result for some children, I don't understand why you object to the ban.
I would've thought that if anything, you'd welcome the restriction while highlighting that there's more which needs to be done.

I also don't understand why you refer to a "nanny state" and then criticise the government when they listen to public opinion (albeit admittedly late - although my son's school served balanced dinners before Jamie Oliver's campaign).
Not only does Ofcom has a duty to prevent "harmful advertising and unsuitable sponsorship", but the relevant companies will always put profits first, no matter how closely concern for children's wellbeing may follow behind.

I agree that parents should not let their influence be replaced by that of television, but - sad as it is - it happens.
Logically, one of the next attempts to solve the problem is to then subtract that influence from the equation.

I'd think a ban on junk food or television would be extreme and would object to that but I think these rules will strike a realistic and right balance

So what's going to be advertised instead?

GothFrogette. I see your point about why can't other parents teach their children well and, unfortunately I lack any experience that could provide meaningful insight. Anything I can come up with would be nothing more than pure speculation and may be taken as simply insulting. In your case, I think the key might be how you were raised and taught "country" ( for lack of a better word ) values that made you aware of where the food you eat actually comes from.

One thing I can relate is that when I was a kid...if it was on TV..I wanted it. I wanted the sugary cereal, not only for the sugar but for the nifty plastic prize that came with it and nagged my parents incessantly to buy it. I wanted a surpee from 711, and found myself irate that this town didn't have 711..and demanded we travel to a place that had one. ( it took 4 years for that to happen and the trip didn't revolve around my slurpee cravings ) Heck..I didn't even know what a surpee was, all I knew was that they were advertised on TV so gimme gimme.. I could go on and on and on in this vein, but I'll stop here.

BTW...I'm relatively unfazed by online politics, and seldom take things the wrong way.

I don't buy the I don't have time to cook excuse but maybe there is some truth to it. A case in point...my wife. I love her dearly but I won't let her near the kitchen simply because she's so slow when it comes to food preparation that it's actually painful for me to watch. Something she might take an hour to do, I can usually do in 15 minutes ( years of experience as a restaurant cook ) so if she were to want/need to make something "fast" like opening a package of heat and serve, it's understandable that she may think she doesn't have time to cook whereas I could have a fresh, healthy stir-fry on the table in about the same amount of time. Yes...I do ALL the cooking here.

Normally, I'd object to the ban on a freedom of speech sentiment, but given the subject and target audience I'll let it slide this time.

I think its a good step. As soon as children start going to school, parents do not have full control over what their kids eat. Although they can educate the kids well, peer pressure, advertisments will no doubt influence kids to eat less healthy food.

Although I don't particularly think that government control is always the best way forward, unfortunately a large amount of parents don't know what they should be feeding thier kids, and advertisments probably don't help this.

Reading this thread reminded me about a very clever display currently in my supermarket. At the end of one of the aisles, just before you get to bread, is a huge mini-egg display. The packets are all bright yellow, and everytime I walk past it, I think, ooo, I think I might get some. If they weren't displayed like this then I wouldn't have even thought about buying them. It's the power of planting an idea into your head.

Anyway, I really am randomly waffling, so I apologise for that. What I was saying is that I think its probably a good thing. You never know, if sales start to drop, companies might look into ways that they can make their food healthier so they can advertise it.

I don't know if this will make a huge difference, but I think it may make a little difference at least. And I'd quite like to see if things like coke and mars bar loose some of their 'cool' appeal...

i'm not sure what its going to be replaced with, probably more toy adverts.

i don't mind it being banned don't get me wrong i just don't think its going to make any difference at all to the amount of crap the parents are going to buy anyway. the parents are already stuck in the weekly shopping products just as i am. you automaticaly go around and buy what you usualy do.
now i think if they banned them from the adverts inbetween the programs the parents watch their may be more of an affect.


i do strongly believe education is the way to go, starting with the parents.not just on this issue but with so many. These kids just didn't wake up one morning to suddenly find they were like it, whether it be over weight or an ASBO

Stout glad i didn't offend you, i constantly worry about that kind of thing online. i tend to speak my mind but with no ill meant towards anyone unless stated. but i also know that some people get offended over the slightest little thing which can be rather annoying.

with regards the i don't have time attitude, (can you come and cook at mine ) it does take time to prepare a real meal. i happen to enjoy it and enjoy seeing the clean plates and full tummy's. as a parent though i don't think we will ever win. if we choose to stay at home to look after our children (like i do) we get slated for not having a job, providing for our children etc. and if you get parents that go to work then they are not spending enough time with their chidlren and don't have time to cook. perhaps i am rather old fashioned in thinking that if you have children you or at least one parent should stay at home and look after them, after all we chose to have the child. (whole different rant)

i do hate the nanny state. i don't see the need for their to be a ban on 'non healthy foods' in school and went mad when my kids were taking in a packed lunch for me to be told what i am and am not allowed to put in there. but i guess thats because my kids have more than enough exercise and have a well balanced diet so the odd bit of cake isn't going to kill them.

they should replace the ads with healthy food stuffs
the ads might not be the problem as much as the packaging...if you can't find the bad food, you can't eat it.
it is public opinion that got the ads pulled, not a government arbitraily deciding
no more junk food snacks in the buildings and keep an eye out for enterprising kids and parents.
off topic, but...i'm slow in the kitchen and ex also was a cook. why can't you just appreciate us trying? and you all have your training, but maybe we can actually try something that you haven't without telling us that it just won't work...the more time we spend, the more love right
cook your food ahead of time, all at once and make your own microwave dinners