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.
But Mr Watts said a 9pm watershed ban on junk food adverts was 'the only way to seriously tackle the childhood obesity epidemic'. He said it would save the UK up to a billion pounds a year, 'many times more than it costs broadcasters'.
The Government should now step in and extend the ban, he said, and he was confident this would happen.
Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, said, 'Some of the most popular programmes among under-16s are soaps, which will not be covered by this ban. Ofcom clearly believes that TV advertising has an effect on children's eating habits, yet it does not have the courage to recommend a more comprehensive ban.'
Jo Butcher, lead on health at the National Children's Bureau, said, 'The restrictions make a mockery of the Government's healthy eating initiative.
There will be no excuse if this time next year we are still watching obesity levels rise.'
