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Comments on the Food Standards Agency debate in London in January 2004, over food promotion and children. Presents two views: from Rachel Carey, Associate Director of NOP World, and Brinsley Dresden, Head of Advertising Law at Lewis Silkin.

Examines the stringent existing regulations on advertising and marketing to children under 16 (or 18 in the case of alcohol); these safeguards are nevertheless under scrutiny because of growing concern in the UK and Europe. Outlines the three sets of codes of conduct applying to broadcast and print media, covering television, radio, and non‐broadcast advertisements, promotions and direct marketing. Discusses the issues of safety, physical, mental and moral harm; recognising children’s credulity, loyalty, vulnerability and inexperience; the areas of alcohol, food, and toys; and the problem of pester power, especially in the case of “tweenagers” between 13 and 16. Moves on to the prohibitions and restrictions concerning the advertising of medicines, weight control or slimming products, distance selling, and lotteries, pools and bingo; the power of the Radio Authority and ITC to control broadcast time scheduling of inappropriate advertisements; and special problems of data protection in the case of children. Concludes with a look at future developments such as Ofcom.

This paper (originally presented at the Marketing Week conference ‘Advertising and Marketing to Children '99’) examines existing and prospective legislation as it relates to advertising to children through TV, press, radio and direct mail and also examines codes of conduct and discusses key terms such as ‘pester power’ and ‘taste and decency’. The paper then presents a series of figures detailing real life examples of complaints to a selection of advert types. The paper then concludes with an examination of how the future of children's advertising may proceed in the future.