Are they going to ban Tony the Tiger?
RED meat could be taxed and plain packaging put on beer bottles and cans in a nanny-state move to make people aware of unhealthy food and drink, campaigners warned yesterday.
Other new controls could include labels on coffee cups alerting consumers to environmental damage.
Even Tony the Tiger could be booted off boxes of Frosted Flakes and other cartoon characters banned.
Ice cream van chimes might also be outlawed.
The alert follows trends across both the UK and other countries that have led to more stringent restrictions on what can and cannot be displayed in advertising, on labels or packaging.
Now the industry is worried even more is to come, according to campaign group Endangered Species.
They say calls by health lobbyists for measures such as bigger warnings on wine bottles and pictures of rotting teeth on fizzy drink cans as well as graphic junk food alerts are set to grow louder. This could lead to the loss of thousands of jobs in design, branding and associated industries.
Ron Cregan, founder of Endangered Species, said: “Brand identity is a fundamental right and government proposals will have a devastating impact.
“This includes much-loved favourites that are part of our cultural heritage as well as upcoming artisan producers who will be denied the right to express their identity.
“Policy-makers, lobbyists and governments are endangering the future of many of the best brands in the world.
“We want to make sure the brands we see, feel, touch, follow and grow old with in our cultural and daily lives are allowed to continue to make a positive contribution to consumers and the economy.”