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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| No more Mars bar ads for children | No more Mars bar ads for children |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The company that makes chocolate bars such as Mars and Snickers, is to stop targeting its advertising at under-12s. | The company that makes chocolate bars such as Mars and Snickers, is to stop targeting its advertising at under-12s. |
| Masterfoods will stop advertising in magazines and television programmes intended for children under the age of 12 by the end of the year. | Masterfoods will stop advertising in magazines and television programmes intended for children under the age of 12 by the end of the year. |
| Masterfoods, which also makes Twix and Maltesers, already has a policy of not targeting children under six. | Masterfoods, which also makes Twix and Maltesers, already has a policy of not targeting children under six. |
| The move comes after TV watchdog Ofcom said it would ban junk food advertising during TV shows aimed at under-16s. | The move comes after TV watchdog Ofcom said it would ban junk food advertising during TV shows aimed at under-16s. |
| In the November announcement, the regulator also warned that it would ban such adverts during adult programmes that are watched by a lot of children. | |
| There have been suggestions that Masterfoods is taking action voluntarily before it is forced to by regulators, either in the UK or in Europe. | |
| There's no evidence whatsoever that under 16-year-olds need protecting from this kind of advertising Hamish Pringle, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising | |
| Jeremy Baker from London Metropolitan University says "they're being forced to do this by Ofcom anyway so they're getting a good PR statement out of it". | |
| Age for protection | |
| Masterfoods may also be trying to make a statement about which age-groups need protecting, experts said. | |
| Ofcom plans to ban junk food advertising from programmes aimed at children under-16, while Masterfoods' unilateral ban targets children under-12. | |
| "There's no evidence whatsoever that under 16-year-olds need protecting from this kind of advertising," said Hamish Pringle from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. | |
| Masterfoods' new policy will also cover websites targeted at children. | |
| It is unclear how the company will prevent children gaining access to sites promoting its products, but some of its websites currently offer games and screensavers for children. | |
| 'Measures too broad' | 'Measures too broad' |
| When Ofcom's measures are brought in a Food Standards Agency (FSA) ratings system will be used to assess which foods are too high in fat, sugar and salt to be advertised to children. | |
| But there have been some complaints that the system would also outlaw advertising for some popular products. | But there have been some complaints that the system would also outlaw advertising for some popular products. |
| For example, the FSA's measure would lead to adverts for cheese, marmalade and Marmite being banned, the Grocer magazine said. | For example, the FSA's measure would lead to adverts for cheese, marmalade and Marmite being banned, the Grocer magazine said. |
| News of Masterfoods' decision comes as the European Union's committee on diet, physical activity and health is meeting in Brussels to discuss what progress companies are making on self-regulation. | |