Day 047 - 07 Nov 94 - Page 43

     
     1        relation to subsequent matters.  I have to say that I would
     2        find it very difficult to answer question 1, myself, unless
     3        I knew what the actual restrictions were, which I would not
     4        have known but for this case, even if your interpretation
     5        is wrong.
     6
     7   MS. STEEL: (To the witness)  Would it be fair to say that,
     8        whether or not they knew what the restrictions were, this
     9        was an issue that was of concern to them?
    10        A.  The question of advertising and children is certainly a
    11        subject which everyone takes seriously.  That includes
    12        parents, it includes advertisers, it includes the ITC.  I
    13        do not think anyone denies that we take seriously the
    14        responsibilities of not saying things that are misleading
    15        to adults and, particularly, not saying things that are
    16        misleading to children.
    17
    18   Q.   The point I am making is, it is an area of concern to the
    19        public; it is not something that they do not care about?
    20        A.  That is so.
    21
    22   Q.   Going on to question 2: "Current food advertising
    23        encourages children to eat a healthy balanced diet", only
    24        15 percent of parents agreed with this statement, while
    25        74 percent disagreed.  Again, with mothers, feelings were
    26        stronger, and 76 percent disagreed.
    27
    28        I mean, does that concern you, that parents do not think
    29        that the current food advertising is encouraging children
    30        to eat a healthy balanced diet?
    31        A.  We all know that the answers you get depend on the
    32        questions you ask.  It is my view that that question is
    33        asked in a way which is not ideal.
    34
    35        If I may refer you back, my Lord, to the proposed new code
    36        section introduction of the ITC, which we were looking at a
    37        few moments ago.  It said: "Competitive product advertising
    38        cannot reasonably be expected to perform the same role as
    39        education and public information in promoting a varied and
    40        balanced diet."
    41
    42        An individual advertisement or commercial cannot be
    43        expected to encourage children or adults to do anything
    44        except in relation to that particular product.  So question
    45        2 is saying: "Do current advertisements talk about balanced
    46        diets"; and the answer is, in most cases:  "No, they do
    47        not." They talk about specific products or services and the
    48        benefit or the enjoyment you get from them.  They do not
    49        say:  "If you eat this, it will be part of a balanced
    50        diet"; nor should they, necessarily.  If they wish to, they 
    51        may, but they should be under no obligation to do so.  That 
    52        is what that question is addressing.  A differently worded 
    53        question would have got different answers.
    54
    55   Q.   It could be quite easily taken as parents indicating that
    56        they think it is, by and large, unhealthy products that are
    57        being advertised to their children?
    58        A.  It could be taken as that, but that is not what the
    59        question says.
    60