United Kingdom
[GB] Regulation of e-cigarette advertising and sponsorship on television and radio
IRIS 2016-5:1/19
David Goldberg
deeJgee Research/Consultancy
On 13 April 2016, Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, issued a Statement concerning e-cigarettes. It specifies amendments which Ofcom is making to the Broadcast Code and also the amendments which it has instructed the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice to make to the BCAP Code: the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising. BCAP had introduced rules on the marketing of e-cigarettes in 2014 (see IRIS 2015-1/23).
The changes were ordered by the UK Secretary for Health under section 321(6) of the Communications Act 2003. The amendments arise from the UK’s implementation of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (2014). The Directive prohibits advertisements for electronic cigarettes and refill containers in broadcast television and radio services. It also prohibits programme sponsorship which has the aim or effect of promoting such products.
The amendments will come into effect on 20 May 2016.
References
- Ofcom, Regulation of e-cigarette advertising and sponsorship on television and radio, 13 April 2016
- http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/broadcast/e-cigarettes/e-cigarette.pdf
- Committees of Advertising Practice, Change to BCAP Code around nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, 13 April 2016
- https://www.cap.org.uk/News-reports/Media-Centre/2016/Change-to-BCAP-Code-around-nicotine-containing-e-cigarettes.aspx
Related articles
IRIS 2015-1:1/23 [GB] New Rules on the Marketing of E-Cigarettes
This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.