Ad industry to consult on new alcohol rules

01 November 2004

The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) welcomed Ofcom’s publication today of new rules for alcohol advertising on television and confirmed that it would consult publicly on guidance notes for interpreting and implementing the new rules.

BCAP takes ownership of the broadcast advertising Codes from today (1st November), as Ofcom contracts-out responsibility for broadcast advertising regulation to an ad industry one-stop shop, operating under the banner of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

BCAP will take advice from the Advertising Advisory Committee – an independent body representing consumer interests, chaired by Elizabeth Filkin – as it drafts guidance for consultation. The public consultation will begin in January 2005 and BCAP will submit the guidance to Ofcom for final approval before publication.

BCAP Chairman Andrew Brown said that the consultation process would give BCAP the opportunity to hear a wide range of views on how Ofcom’s new rules should be interpreted: "The new rules are tough but workable. We aim, via consultation, to provide the ad industry, the pre-clearance bodies and the ASA with guidance that is helpful, practical and unambiguous."

For more information please contact:

Donna Mitchell or Matt Wilson, ASA Press Office: 020 7492 2123.

Notes for Editors:

The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice is an industry committee representing advertisers, agencies and broadcasters. On 1st November 2004, Ofcom contracted-out day-to-day responsibility for setting, reviewing and revising the broadcast advertising codes to BCAP. Under the terms of contracting-out, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will assume responsibility for receiving and resolving complaints about broadcast advertising.

Any changes made by BCAP to the TV and radio advertising codes will have to be considered by the Advertising Advisory Committee; be the subject of public consultation, and are subject to final approval by Ofcom.

The non-broadcast advertising code – The CAP Code – is unaffected by the contracting-out process. Ofcom’s new alcohol advertising rules and BCAP’s guidance, will not apply to non-broadcast advertising.

The alcohol guidance notes need to be in place by 1st April 2004 to give advertisers a clear six months production window before the new rules take effect on air on 1st October 2005.