Table 1 ASA children and young people’s advertising code: key rules specific to food and beverage advertising

Principle 1: Social responsibility

 • Rule 1(i) Targeting children: “Advertisements (including sponsorship advertisements) for occasional food or beverage products must not target children or be placed in any media where children are likely to be a significant proportion of the expected average audience “(e.g. where 25% or more of the expected audience will be children, in child viewing time zones, content with significant appeal to children, or in locations where children gather).

 • Rule 1(j) Targeting young people: “A special duty of care must be applied to occasional food and beverage product advertising to young people,” i.e. “advertisements must not state or imply that such products are suitable for frequent or daily consumption.”

 • Rule 1(k) Portion size: “The quantity of the food in the advertisement should not exceed portions sizes that would be appropriate for consumption on one occasion by a person or persons of the age depicted.”

 • Rule 1(l) Promotional offers: “Advertisements featuring a promotional offer of interest to children or young people which is linked to food or beverage products must avoid creating a sense of urgency or encouraging purchase of an excessive quantity for irresponsible consumption.” “There shall be no promotional offers for occasional food and beverage products to children.”

Principle 2: Truthful presentation

 • Rule 2(a) Identification: “It must be clear to children or young people that the advertising is a commercial communication rather than programme content, editorial comment or other non-commercial communication.” “Licensed characters and celebrities popular with children or young people (live or animated) must not obscure the distinction between commercial promotions and programme or editorial content.”

 • Rule 2 (e) Competitions: “Where reference is made to a competition, the rules must be clear and the value of prizes and chances of winning must not be exaggerated.”

 • Rule 2(f) Health benefits: “Advertisements must not mislead as to the potential physical, social or mental health benefits from consumption of the product.” “Advertisements must not mislead as to the nutritional value of any food or beverage. This includes products high in fat claiming to be low in sugar or sugar free, and products high in sugar claiming to be low fat or fat free.”

Principle 3: Sponsorship advertising

 • Rule 3(a) Inclusion of product: “Sponsorship advertisements must not show an occasional food or beverage product, or such product’s packaging, or depict the consumption of an occasional food or beverage product.”

 • Rule 3(b): “Sponsorship advertisements must not imitate or use any parts of product advertisements for occasional food or beverage products from any media.”