Small print ‘rushing past’ on TV adverts must slow down

TELEVISION adverts will be banned from running small print across screens at high speeds, advertising regulators have announced.

The change is being made by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice over fears that consumers, particularly those who are elderly or have poor eyesight, are struggling to read important information on screens.

From March, advertisers will be expected to emphasise particularly important qualifying details, ensure the text is clear and can be easily seen against the background and allow viewers enough time to read it.

Every five words on screen must appear for a minimum of one second, or 300 words per minute. Complicated jargon, which consumers rarely understand, will also be banned.

It comes after a study by the Advertising Standards Authority showed that a majority of people found it difficult to read the small print in television ads, which can contain important qualifying terms and conditions to an offer.

The problem was more prevalent among older viewers.

It said the lack of clarity could lead to confusion or disappointment when a deal was not what consumers understood it to be.

Guy Parker, the authority’s chief executive, said: “Our research has told us that viewers can be misled when they struggle to read on-screen text that contains important information. It’s vital that any qualifications are presented clearly and I welcome [the] tough new standards to ensure that happens.”