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BBC puts telly tubbies on a healthy diet
April 06, 2004
By Sam Lister, Health Correspondent
THE BBC is to stop using the Teletubbies and other popular children’s characters to sell chocolate bars, biscuits and crisps, in response to growing concerns over child obesity.
BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial division, announced yesterday that its popular children’s characters will in future promote healthy foods, including fruit, vegetables and fish.
Licences for branding cakes and confectionery with the Teletubbies, the Tweenies and the Fimbles will be withheld and salt, fat and sugar levels will be reduced in all existing products sold under the characters’ names. However, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po will still sell Easter eggs and other confectionery for birthdays and religious events.
BBC preschool characters appear on almost 100 products, including chocolate bars, marshmallows and jellybabies aimed mainly at under-fives. After a seven-month review into the nutritional value of the products, the BBC is cutting back its contract with Kinnerton, which licenses the Tweenies and Fimbles.
Other licensees in a market that earns the corporation more than £1.25 million a year will have to meet salt, sugar and fat levels approved by the Food Standards Agency.
A leading health expert recently gave warning that tens of thousands of overweight children might die before their parents. Research has shown that obese children are up to 20 per cent more likely to develop cancer as adults than those of a healthy weight.
BBC Worldwide announced last year an end to its joint promotion with fast food companies. The Tweenies have appeared on packets of sugared cereals and have helped to host McDonald’s birthday parties. The Teletubbies have been linked to custard cream biscuits, corn puff crisps and Burger King children’s meals. The programme, which boasts a global audience of one billion viewers, was credited with doubling sales of the fast food giant’s children’s meals in 2000. BBC Worldwide said that the new move, which come after talks with the Food Standards Agency, the British Nutrition Foundation and the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, would cost the corporation more than £150,000 a year in lost earnings from chocolate and confectionery sales.
The corporation questioned more than 1,000 parents of preschool children to discover their concerns and expecta- tions. It will work with its existing licensees to improve products, while new licensees will have to comply with strict guidelines. It has pledged to develop nutritionally balanced foods and license staple products such as fruit, vegetables and fish.
Tim Lobstein, director of the Food Commission, a dietary pressure group, welcomed the move: “We have urged the BBC to take children’s health seriously when allowing their popular characters to be used to sell sweets, snacks, puddings and processed meals.”
Health economists have given warning that the NHS faces a huge increase in cases of diabetes, which could cost £3.6 billion by the end of the decade.
Both the BBC and ITV have been approached by the Government to help to reduce obesity by bringing healthy pursuits to popular soaps and children’s programmes.
The BBC said that it hoped to benefit from public appreciation of the health-conscious stance it was taking.
http://www.timesonli...1064950,00.html
April 06, 2004
By Sam Lister, Health Correspondent
THE BBC is to stop using the Teletubbies and other popular children’s characters to sell chocolate bars, biscuits and crisps, in response to growing concerns over child obesity.
BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial division, announced yesterday that its popular children’s characters will in future promote healthy foods, including fruit, vegetables and fish.
Licences for branding cakes and confectionery with the Teletubbies, the Tweenies and the Fimbles will be withheld and salt, fat and sugar levels will be reduced in all existing products sold under the characters’ names. However, Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po will still sell Easter eggs and other confectionery for birthdays and religious events.
BBC preschool characters appear on almost 100 products, including chocolate bars, marshmallows and jellybabies aimed mainly at under-fives. After a seven-month review into the nutritional value of the products, the BBC is cutting back its contract with Kinnerton, which licenses the Tweenies and Fimbles.
Other licensees in a market that earns the corporation more than £1.25 million a year will have to meet salt, sugar and fat levels approved by the Food Standards Agency.
A leading health expert recently gave warning that tens of thousands of overweight children might die before their parents. Research has shown that obese children are up to 20 per cent more likely to develop cancer as adults than those of a healthy weight.
BBC Worldwide announced last year an end to its joint promotion with fast food companies. The Tweenies have appeared on packets of sugared cereals and have helped to host McDonald’s birthday parties. The Teletubbies have been linked to custard cream biscuits, corn puff crisps and Burger King children’s meals. The programme, which boasts a global audience of one billion viewers, was credited with doubling sales of the fast food giant’s children’s meals in 2000. BBC Worldwide said that the new move, which come after talks with the Food Standards Agency, the British Nutrition Foundation and the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, would cost the corporation more than £150,000 a year in lost earnings from chocolate and confectionery sales.
The corporation questioned more than 1,000 parents of preschool children to discover their concerns and expecta- tions. It will work with its existing licensees to improve products, while new licensees will have to comply with strict guidelines. It has pledged to develop nutritionally balanced foods and license staple products such as fruit, vegetables and fish.
Tim Lobstein, director of the Food Commission, a dietary pressure group, welcomed the move: “We have urged the BBC to take children’s health seriously when allowing their popular characters to be used to sell sweets, snacks, puddings and processed meals.”
Health economists have given warning that the NHS faces a huge increase in cases of diabetes, which could cost £3.6 billion by the end of the decade.
Both the BBC and ITV have been approached by the Government to help to reduce obesity by bringing healthy pursuits to popular soaps and children’s programmes.
The BBC said that it hoped to benefit from public appreciation of the health-conscious stance it was taking.
http://www.timesonli...1064950,00.html
How else do you think they became tubby if not for delicious candies and confections?
It's comforting to hear that they will still be allowed to peddle cakes in the name of the Lord.
MultiQuote
Posted 20 April 2004 - 02:59 PM
