Adverts for junk food are still being screened during some of the most popular children’s TV programmes despite new rules aimed at protecting youngsters.

Ads for foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar are frequently shown during the programmes most watched by children, according to Which?

None of the programmes with the five highest child audiences are covered by restrictions imposed by regulator Ofcom in January, the magazine said.

Adverts for foods deemed “less healthy” by the Food Standards Agency have not been allowed to screen in or around programmes deemed “of particular appeal” to under-16s.

A programme is defined as being of particular appeal to children if the proportion of children under-16 watching a programme is 20% higher than the general viewing population.

The rule means programmes such as The Simpsons and SpongeBob SquarePants are covered.

But shows like Beat the Star, Animals Do The Funniest Things and Emmerdale are not – even though they are watched by thousands more children, Which? said.

The watchdog said a two-week analysis found ads for products including Coca-Cola, Oreos and Kellogg’s Coco Pops were broadcast during programmes popular with children but not covered by the restrictions.

The Government has asked Ofcom to review how well the restrictions are working and says the rules will be toughened if needed.

Which? said the rules needed to be changed.

Which? food campaigner Clare Corbett said: “The ad restrictions may look good on paper but the reality is that the programmes most popular with children are slipping through the net.

“If these rules are going to be effective then they have to apply to the programmes that children watch in the greatest numbers.”

Via news.sky.com