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Food fight: ITV boss Carolyn McCall has spoken out against a move to ban junk food adverts before 9pm
The boss of ITV has warned that the government’s ban on junk food adverts before 9pm could cost the broadcaster “millions of pounds”.
Carolyn McCall criticised the move as ministers pledged to press ahead with the policy despite complaints about “nanny state” restrictions and their impact on broadcasters.
The measure is intended to tackle childhood obesity amid alarm that a third of young people are overweight by the end of high school.
The government has announced that the restrictions will not come into force until October next year.
But McCall, speaking at the Royal Television Society convention in London, said Labour’s measures would be ineffective and ultimately damage the UK’s television production industry.
“We’ve done a lot of research to show that this is not going to make a dent in childhood obesity,” he said, claiming the move would cost the Love Island creator “millions of pounds”.
Actions ITV shares gained 0.6 per cent, or 0.45p, to 81.1p yesterday.
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