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Partial junk food ad ban is condemned

The broadcasting regulator Ofcom has been accused of caving in to the food and advertising lobbies after refusing to enforce a ban on ads for junk food before the 9pm television watershed. Richard Watts, campaign co-ordinator for the Children's Food Campaign, said Ofcom's decision to limit the ban to the traditional hours of children's TV 'will have almost no effect', as 71 per cent of the viewing by the average child is outside these hours.

Richard Watts, campaign co-ordinator for the Children's Food Campaign, said Ofcom's decision to limit the ban to the traditional hours of children's TV 'will have almost no effect', as 71 per cent of the viewing by the average child is outside these hours.

Ofcom will ban the advertising of food and drink products that are high in fat, salt and sugar 'in and around all programmes of particular appeal to children under the age of 16'. It had originally proposed to aim its restrictions on advertising at the under-nines.

Ofcom rejected calls for a 9pm watershed ban, as it would 'significantly reduce broadcaster revenues, to an extent inconsistent with a proportionate approach'. It said the potential revenue loss could be 250m a year.

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