Archives February 2007 - OurFood-news

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                           February 2007

26.02.2007: OFCOM UK advertising regulations far better than US self regulation.
 There are three industry-funded US organizations engaged in developing technical guidelines. According to their homepage they are devoted to the following goals:

- Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) [1]: It emphasizes that it is working for freedom to direct their messages to young children. CARU developed the guidelines.
- National Advertising Review Council (NARC) [2]. Its goal is minimize governmental involvement in the advertising business.
- The Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) [3]: Its function is to oversee both organizations. It promotes the initiative that merely requires food companies to pledge that 50 percent of their ads contain a message encouraging healthy diets or physical activity.

Finally, the Federal Trade Commission, which is in charge of advertising affairs in US, has indicated it won't restrict food advertising on children's television.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says that the CARU's technical guidelines do not consider the nutritional quality of foods. The CSPI has therefore threatened litigation to protect kids from junk-foods ads. In 2006. Actions against the marketing practices of Kellogs and Viacom (a kid-friendly network) are running [4]. CSPI legal affairs director Bruce Silverglade says that British regulations issued by OFCOM, are far superior than the situation in the US, where the Federal Trade Commission continues to support a failed self-regulatory system [5].

[1]CARU: Self-Regulatory Program for Children's Advertising http://www.caru.org/guidelines/index.asp

[2] The National Advertising Review Council (NARC) : About The National Advertising Review Council http://www.narcpartners.org/about/index.asp

[3] The Council of Better Business Bureaus http://www.cbbb.org/index.asp

[4] CSPI Newsroom, January 18, 2006: Parents and advocates will sue Viacom and Kellogs. Lawsuit Aimed at Stopping Junk-Food Marketing to Children by Kellogg and Viacom's Nickelodeon http://www.cspinet.org/new/200601181.html

[5]CSPI Newsroom: British Crackdown on Junk Food Ads Praised CSPI Says Food Companies and Broadcasters Should Comply with Similar Guidelines Here. http://www.cspinet.org/new/200702232.html

23.02.2007: OFCOM issues restrictions on TV advertising of food in UK
OFCOM  issued  extended  restrictions on the television advertising of food and drink products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) including programmes and channels aimed at children aged under 16.
Rules in Annex 4 of this Statement apply to all food and drink advertising to children irrespective of when it is scheduled prohibiting the use of licensed characters, celebrities, promotional offers and health claims in advertisements for HFSS products targeted at pre-school or primary school children. [3]

According to Which?  a 9 pm schedule should be observed for these restrictions.

The Food and Drink Federation FDF argues that the regulations were  based on scientifically flawed nutrient profiling model.
The restrictions will come into effect in April 2007 regarding HFSS advertisement for children aged four to nine. In January 2008 this restriction will be extended  to HFSS advertising to children under 16.
According to Leech of Ofcom,  the TV advertising has a modest, direct effect on children's food choices and is only one among many influences. He addresses   the food and drink industry which,  together with government, have to add their part to solve the obesity issue. [2]

Responsible for the implementation of the content rules and their compliance are  the Broadcast Committee on Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the Advertising Standards Authority.

[1] OFCOM: Television Advertising of Food and Drink Products
to Children. Executive Summary.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/foodads\_new/statement/

[2] OFCOM publishes final Statement on the television advertising of  food and drink products to children
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2007/02/nr\_20070222

[3] OFCOM : Television Advertising of Food and Drink Products to Children - Statement. Publication date: 22.February 2007
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/foodads\_new/statement/statement.pdf

10.02.07: The H5N1 virus of the farm is identical to the virus of recent outbreaks in Hungary.
The company has poultry farms and production sites all over UK Germany and Hungary and transports fresh meat from one side to another. The veterinary investigators believe that the virus was on this way imported from Hungary.

06-02-07: UK loses its status as "disease free" country and Ireland, Russia, Hong Kong, South Africa, South Korea and Japan and India impose ban on UK poultry meat, live birds and hatching eggs.
The chief veterinary officer in charge, Fred Landeg, confirmed that about 159,000 turkeys have been culled,

03.02.07: New outbreak of H5N1 virus in UK

In UK a new outbreak of H5N1 virus avian flue was noted on the 27.01.06 and confirmed on the 03.02.06 in the English, province of Suffolk, Upper Holton in a farm for turkeys for meat production.

Three zones were declared around the Infected Premises to reduce the spread of disease. These are the Protection Zone (3km), the Surveillance Zone (10km) and a wider Restricted Zone, encompassing wider areas of Suffolk and Norfolk.