Editorial: Commercialism is damaging childhood

According to Secretary of State Ed Balls, children see about 10,000 TV adverts a year and recognise 400 brands by the age of 10. Studies from the US have claimed merchandising and advertising images can lead to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. The consultations with parents and young people that informed the Plan unearthed a groundswell of concern about children's exposure to commercial pressures.

In a way, commissioning this study goes against the current grain of thinking that children ought not to be mollycoddled and that exposure to risk aids their development. After all, consumerism and its stoking by the media has always been part of the make-up of modern Western society. The internet is now integral to the way many children learn about the world and socialise with their friends. However, the concerns identified by parents reflect the fact that today's young people are exposed to commercial messages like never before.