The move could deflect criticism from a Health Select Committee report due to be published tomorrow (27 May).
Reports suggest that it will call for restrictions on celebrity endorsements of sugary drinks and snacks, and a total ban on their sale in schools, including the removal of vending mach-ines sponsored by confectionery and fizzy drink firms.
Professor Gerard Hastings of Strathclyde University, one of the select committee's advisers, said the marketing industry had to address its practices at all levels. "It is clear that marketing can influence children's behaviour - these companies would not be successful if they didn't.
"We have to look at the whole range of measures that constitute marketing: pricing structure, the pushing of unhealthy foods over healthy ones at the point of sale, the design of the product and the actual content of it. Just focusing in on one element of advertising is not really going to do the job. What is needed is a major culture change," he asserted.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
