Product placement allowed on UK screens from February
Product placement will be allowed in UK TV programmes for the first time from 28 February next year, Ofcom confirmed today.
The broadcasting regulator confirmed the arrival of US-style product placement this morning, and it has published a list of rules governing how the paid-for references to products and services will work.
They include restrictions on the types of products that can be placed and the types of programmes in which they can be placed, and limits on the way products can be seen and referred to in programmes.
Product placement will be allowed in films, TV series (including soaps), entertainment programmes and sport shows.
But it will remain prohibited in all children's and news programmes and in UK-produced current affairs, consumer affairs and religious programmes.
Tobacco, alcohol and gambling products and foods or drinks high in fat, salt or sugar are banned. Medicines, baby milk, weapons and escort agencies are also, unsurprisingly outlawed.
The rules state that product placement "must not impair broadcasters' editorial independence and must always be editorially justified".
"This means that programmes cannot be created or distorted so that they become vehicles for the purposes of featuring product placement," Ofcom said in a statement.
The regulator has also revised the rules on paid-for references to products and services in radio programmes.
It said: "The new [radio] rules, which take effect today, protect listeners by making sure that any commercial arrangements that result in on-air references to products or brands are made clear to the audience."
You can read Ofcom's full statement on product placement, and the rules, here.