Food and Drink Advertising and Promotion Forum

The Forum will review, supplement, strengthen and bring together existing provisions, including existing voluntary provisions for non-broadcast media, and advise on how to monitor and evaluate change.

The work of the Forum will sit alongside a consultation by the independent UK communications regulator Ofcom on the restriction of advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar to children through broadcast media and existing codes.

The Forum was established as part of a series of commitments in the Government's Choosing Health White Paper and the Agency's Action Plan on Food Promotions and Children's Diets.

Specifically, the Forum's aims are to:

• identify and agree a range of proportionate measures to develop a comprehensive approach to restrict the advertising and promotion, other than broadcast advertising, of high fat, salt and sugar foods to children building on existing voluntary provisions across all media and promotional settings. This includes:
  • non-broadcast (e.g. press, posters, cinema and Internet)
  • labels, wrappers and packages
  • sponsorship (e.g. sports and schools) and brand-sharing
  • point-of-sale advertising and display and in-store promotions
• identify and agree a range of action that industry can adopt that will have a positive impact on children's food choices across all non-broadcast media and promotional types and settings
• advise on methods and targets by which changes in the nature and balance of food promotion and food preferences of children can be measured and evaluated

Membership of the steering group is drawn from a range of stakeholder organisations including advertisers, food manufacturers, retailers, health professionals, consumer groups, child health and food promotion experts and policy makers. Fiona Adshead, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer chairs the Forum.