It is reporting that Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, is ‘poised to announce a consultation on a new watershed’ which would impose tighter restrictions on advertising around children's TV programmes.
The newspaper adds that the consultation will include the question of whether radio stations and the internet should be subject to further restrictions.
It reports ministers have warned that despite restrictions on advertising around children’s TV programmes, youngsters are still being exposed to ‘significant amounts’ of advertising for products that are high in fat, salt or sugar.
Junk food adverts during children’s television programmes have been banned since 2007 but research by broadcasting regulator Ofcom has shown that children spend 64% of their television viewing time watching shows not aimed specifically at them.
Research by the Obesity Health Alliance recently found that junk food companies in the UK spend £143m a year on advertising compared to the £5m spent annually by the Government on its healthy eating campaigns.