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Government likely to announce 9pm watershed ad ban

Published:  23 July, 2008

Prime minister Gordon Brown is believed to be plotting to announce a statutory 9pm-watershed blanket ban on food and alcohol advertising later this year.

The Advertising Association (AA) says that the omission of any mention of public-health issues in relation to communications and advertising in Gordon Brown's first Queen Speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday has "raised suspicions."

It is understood that the government is getting ready to announce the restrictions in an attempt to meet its public health goals on issues such as obesity, smoking and alcohol.

It is believed the Department of Health secretary of state Alan Johnson, is set to announce its proposals to ban all food advertising and alcohol advertising pre-9pm as early as December.

AA chief executive Peta Buscombe says: "We cannot sit back and do nothing. Just because the Queen's Speech did not touch on the issue of advertising and marketing, or how best to tackle the issue of obesity or alcohol abuse does not mean the government is not thinking about it. I am not confident that there will be no further restrictions."

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