Most TV ads for sweets and crisps shown before watershed

Most TV adverts for sweets, crisps and chocolate shown when children are likely to be watching are made by firms who claim not to promote their products to that age group.

- Denis Campbell

The disclosure, in new research by the University of Liverpool, has prompted claims that food giants such as Mars, Haribo and PepsiCo are in "flagrant" breach of their own codes of behaviour.

The academics found that 80% of all ads for confectionery and snacks shown on UK TV before the 9pm children's viewing watershed were from those three firms, or from Kellogg's or Mondelez.

Their analysis of ads shown on 76 channels also revealed that 49% of all such ads are broadcast between 5.30am and 9pm, when viewing by children is at its highest.

"The discrepancy between these company commitments and the large number of their ads aired before the watershed suggests a flagrant disconnect between their marketing policies and what actually happens in practice," said Rebecca Tobi, the Food Foundation's senior business and investor engagement manager.