United Kingdom

[GB] New Advertising and Sponsorship Rules

IRIS 1995-2:1/21

David Goldberg

deeJgee Research/Consultancy

The British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion have recently been amended by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP). The CAP (comprising 22 trade associations and professional bodies representing the advertisers, agencies and all aspects of the media) devises the Codes, provides a range of sanctions and pre-publication copy advice.

The new Codes, the first revision since 1988 and drawn up after consultation with over 150 organisations, reflect the basic principles that were drawn up originally in 1961: that advertisements be legal, decent, honest and truthful; be prepared with a sense of social responsibility to consumers and society; and that they should respect the principles of fair competition generally accepted in business. The Codes are extended to regulate all non-broadcast interactive media. Newly addressed in the Codes are: advertising of confectionary to children; environmental issues; irresponsible driving; slimmer's diseases; celebrity endorsement of medicines. The rules on decency have been framed to discourage negative references to sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or disability. (David Goldberg, School of Law, University of Glasgow)