The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has released its latest report indicating a continued decline in children’s exposure to age-restricted TV advertisements.
The ASA, which aims to protect vulnerable audiences from potential harm, conducts regular monitoring of ads, especially those for age-restricted products.
This latest biennial report highlights a significant decrease in children’s exposure to ads for gambling, alcohol and high-fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) products.
Between 2010 and 2023, children’s exposure to alcohol advertising decreased by four-fifths, while exposure to gambling ads fell by two-fifths. Additionally, exposure to HFSS product ads has decreased by two-thirds since 2016.
These trends reflect a broader decline in children’s exposure to all TV ads, which dropped by three-quarters during the same period.
In terms of gambling ads, exposure declined from an average of 3.0 ads per week in 2010 to 1.8 ads per week in 2023.
These findings, while encouraging, also underscore the changing media habits of children, prompting the ASA to continue its monitoring of online ads.
Projects like “Exposure Reports” and the “100 Children Report” aim to ensure regulatory measures remain effective and that children are protected from inappropriate advertising content across all media platforms.
In related news, earlier this month, the ASA upheld rulings against Festival Free Bets over an advert that featured social media influencer Astrid Wett.
The advert was deemed as breaching gambling advertising rules as Wett was under 25 years old at the time of the post.
