The new restrictions on advertising for food and soft drink products to children has been implemented.  The links below hopefully assist you in this area.

HFSS Certificate only for non-HFSS products
The HFSS certificate is intended as a tool for Clearcast to know whether a food or drink product is high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) in accordance with the nutrient profiling developed by the Food Standards Agency. Advertisers are required to complete and supply the certificate only for non–HFSS foods. If a certificate is not supplied, Clearcast will assume an advertised food is a HFSS one and will apply the new content and scheduling rules accordingly. Clearcast will not require the certificate for HFSS foods.

To ensure that the scripts and commercials are considered against the right rules, the certificate should be submitted as early as possible in the clearance process. 

Download the HFSS Certificate here.

Previously cleared commercials
Food commercials that are already cleared under the old rules will, after 1st April 2007 automatically be assigned a HFSS status, unless a certificate showing their status as low is supplied. Advertisements that have not been assessed under the new rules will not be allowed to run at all after 1st July 2007. Agencies and advertisers are therefore urged to supply certificates for all relevant foods as soon as possible.

1 January 2008 - Advertisements for HFSS advertisements will not be allowed in or around programmes for children (including pre-school children), or in or around programmes that are likely to be of particular appeal to children aged 4-15.

Children’s channels will be allowed a graduated phase-in period, with full implementation required by the end of December 2008.

If you wish to download the guidance notes on HFSS foods click here.