Day 047 - 07 Nov 94 - Page 21

     
     1        desirable and healthy?
     2        A.  Yes.
     3
     4   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Just take stock a moment.  If what you are
     5        suggesting is that -- just listen a moment -- if what you
     6        are suggesting is that their promotional material should
     7        have some kind of health warning, then by all means put
     8        that to the witness, and put what sort of health warning
     9        you suggest.  I think that may not be what you are
    10        suggesting.  But I think, to take that as an example, you
    11        have got to put something rather more specific if Mr. Miles
    12        is going to be able to answer the question.
    13
    14   MR. MORRIS:  Well, I am just trying to go through the
    15        responsibilities of advertisers, which is really what this
    16        is all about.  In the Health of the Nation, on page 54 of
    17        the Health of the Nation pamphlet, which is "Opportunities
    18        for Promoting Healthy Eating", there are two specific
    19        points that relate to advertising, as far as I can see, and
    20        they are -- and just to save time, I will just read those
         two points out -- "Developing marketing practices more
    22        conducive to healthy food choices"; and "Giving the public
    23        information about diet, nutrition and health which
    24        encourages healthy eating."
    25
    26        (To the witness)  Would you say that those two points are
    27        something that you would like to see, in other words, you
    28        would agree with the Health of the Nation, that food
    29        producers, manufacturers and retailers -- that is the first
    30        one -- could be "Developing marketing practices more
    31        conducive to health and food choices"?  Is that something
    32        you would like to see?
    33        A.  Those are two perfectly straightforward statements.
    34        But if I may answer a slightly different question to the
    35        one I think you are asking, it is not incumbent on any
    36        advertiser to make specific reference to every piece of
    37        policy in every advertisement.  There is no obligation on
    38        any advertiser to quote directly from or to do something
    39        specific about a particular point in any single
    40        advertisement.  If, over a period of time, they wish to
         assist in terms of the objectives you have read out, there
    42        are many ways in which they can do that.  But any single
    43        advertisement is not required to do that.
    44
    45        If they did -- if I may continue -- if they do something
    46        against those principles, then that would be a point to be
    47        picked up in any specific advertisement.
    48
    49   Q.   Right.  So those two points that I read out, that is
    50        something that you would encourage, as an advertising 
    51        representative? 
    52        A.  Certainly; and I have passed on those kinds of views to 
    53        our food company members when keeping them informed on how
    54        the debate over the Health of the Nation has gone.
    55
    56   Q.   Right.  Now, how would taking up the healthy eating
    57        approach of the Health of the Nation affect a responsible
    58        advertiser in their overall advertising -- not necessarily
    59        every particular ad -- but what, overall, would be the
    60        message of the advertising you would like to see, to adhere