Call for junk food advert watershed

Health campaigners have called for action over junk food adverts during ondemand family programmes after analysis of the adverts screened during the Britain’s Got Talent final on the ITV hub were “inundated” by adverts for unhealthy food and drinks.

The Obesity Health Alliance said that almost one in four adverts shown before and dur- ing BGT final when watched via ITV Hub were for food and drink high in salt, sugar and fat.

The organisation is calling on government to restrict junk food marketing restrictions with a 9pm watershed on TV and on-demand services.

On-demand TV services allow viewers to watch programmes online or via smart TVS whenever they want to. These services use the demographic information of the account holder to target adverts. However, only viewers aged 16 and over can sign up for an account on ITV Hub, meaning that adverts are served assuming the viewer is an adult as there is no way to ascertain if children are watching.

Obesity Health Alliance Lead Caroline Cerny said: “It is hugely concerning that children could be exposed to so many junk food adverts.”