Consultation on cheese ‘ban’

Those who have been surprised by moves to ban advertising of cheese on Irish TV and radio before 9pm should bear in mind that it is inspired by both the EU and the British Food Standards Agency.

However, all will have the opportunity to give their point of view in an upcoming public consultation — an opportunity which the dairy industry must grasp.

Each year Ireland exports more than 100,000 tonnes of cheese worth more than €363m.

It imports about 44,000 tonnes, worth nearly €100,000.

Teagasc recently invested €1.5m in the development of new cheese products, mainly for our export market.

Cheese is an important product of our dairy industry, and for the 34,000 jobs in that industry, which has plans for a 50% expansion by 2020. It is one of the dairy products that play a crucial part in the diet of children and teenagers, including important nutrients such as calcium in their diet.

The move to ban cheese ads during childrens’ viewing hours puts it in the junk food category, as far as consumers are concerned — despite its obvious nutritional value, and the fact that while obesity in children has broadly doubled over a 15-year period, cheese consumption has remained static.

Ultimately, regulations on advertising to children are set by the EU’s audiovisual media services directive, which obliges member states to encourage broadcasters to develop codes of conduct regarding ads for products containing fat, trans-fatty acids, salts or sugars.

Nationally, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, an independent statutory body, prepares broadcasting codes or rules, including the children’s commercial communications code. The BAI published a document last August on advertising to children of foods and drinks that contain fat, trans-fatty acids, salts or sugars.

The public consultation which followed invited views on the recommendations of an expert working group, including that the model developed by the Food Standards Agency in the UK be used, in the event that regulation is introduced in Ireland. This model categorises certain cheeses as being high in salt, fat and sugar.

The BAI will publish the public responses to their document shortly, for a further phase of public consultation, to last eight weeks.

This will give all stakeholders the opportunity to get involved in a fair and balanced set of codes around advertising food to children, with the health of Irish children as a matter of central concern.

A sensible outcome will also be up to the Oireachtas, which will eventually have its say on the TV ad regulations.