UK TV Advertising Laws
Watching the adverts during your favourite TV show has long just been a fact of life. Even with the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV, we’re likely all consuming hundreds of TV adverts per year.
Of course, advertising and promotion is carefully regulated, and there are laws about what can be advertised, when it can be promoted, and how often we should be consuming ads. We’ve broken down some of the main TV advertising laws to explain how your ad breaks are made.
Who regulates UK TV advertising?
In the UK, adverts are regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA is an independent regulator that keeps an eye on adverts across all kinds of media to ensure rules are being followed.
The ASA took over reviewing broadcast (radio and TV) advertising from Ofcom in 2004, though Ofcom still has overall control over standards across advertising and works in a co-regulatory relationship with the ASA.
The ‘rules’ in question are the Advertising Codes, which are set by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP). Both the CAP and the ASA work to regulate adverts “in a way that is transparent, proportionate, targeted, evidence based, consistent and accountable.”
How many adverts are allowed on TV?
According to Ofcom’s rules on the amount of advertising allowed, no more than seven minutes of adverts per hour of broadcasting are allowed in any one day on channels 3-5 (public broadcasting channels). On these channels, there are two periods where up to eight minutes are allowed: 6pm-11pm and 7am-9am.
For other channels and platforms, advertising is limited to 15%, or no more than nine minutes per hour. There are extra rules that mean teleshopping spots can have an additional three minutes per hour.
Ofcom reviewed these rules in 2023 and decided not to remove the stricter restrictions on the amount of advertising allowed on public channels.
Overall, in any given hour of television there should be no more than 12 minutes of advertising. TV ad breaks can’t be longer than three minutes and 50 seconds. For short TV shows (those that last 21-44 minutes, only one ad break is allowed.
What are the rules for adverts on UK TV?
In general, here are some of the main rules and advertising laws in the UK:
- Claims about products have to be true, and benefits cannot be exaggerated
- Adverts must not cause serious or widespread offence
- Adverts must not cause harm (physical, moral or mental) to society’s vulnerable or children
- Adverts that might be inappropriate for younger viewers must be scheduled post-watershed (9pm)
- Any adverts that make medical or health claims must be backed by scientific evidence
- There are specific sections of the BCAP code that regulate adverts about food, financial products, charities, lotteries, alcohol, pornography, motoring and other categories.
Source: Legal Aspects of TV and Radio Advertising
What is the watershed?
The watershed in advertising is the period from 9pm until 5:30am. Before the 9pm cutoff, there are strict rules about what sort of advertising and broadcast material can be shown. The watershed is designed to protect children and the vulnerable from viewing any inappropriate or harmful material.
Harmful or unsuitable material might include things like violence, sexual activity, offensive language or graphic scenes.
If you have any questions about UK TV advertising laws or rules, let us know in the comments.
How many times an hour can the same ad be shown on the same channel?
I have a issue with TV advertising regarding medical treatments for male adults who suffer with (E,D,) something NOBODY in this household requires or have any reason to receive them,
Nobody has viewed online content or requests anything for these advertisements from other third parties like GP’s so I want them to stop because they (Advertisements) are causing stress and sarcastic comments within the household.
The biggest problem in getting these advertisements stopped for the average person because the ASA and others in the UK take you all around the world before you can even make a complaint on their website like asking for a photo of the adverts in question (HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ANYONE TO STAND IN FRONT OF A TV AND TAKE A PHOTO OF THE ADVERTISEMENTS WITHOUT BEING NOTICED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OR RAISING SUSPICIONS OR OTHERS “ASSUMING” THAT FAMILY MALE MEMBER HAS A ISSUE RELATED TO THESE TARGETED ADVERTS FOR ANY MALE ADULTS NEEDING OR SUFFERING WITH THE CONDITION THEY CLAIM TO CURE OR HELP ?)
I’d like the privacy policy of websites to be shown in clear bold font at the top of all websites instead of being buried deep down amongst the tiny of small print because those suffering with mental health and anxiety are highly vulnerable but it appears advertisers and those who supposedly control thing DON’T take this into consideration.
Objecting or opting out should be made more simpler and not needing to be a computer expert or Philadelphia lawyer to do so. Has someone have to be six foot under before someone in authority takes some action?
Yes ! Do more research on mental health sufferers and the effects the most ordinary things have on them rather than putting money making and data grabbing first – the tech world has gone to far in terms of personal data gathering and the rights to have some decent privacy in today’s world.
One idea is to change the laws on small print and it’s location on ALL websites instead of letting human instincts of pressing on a cookie policy that millions don’t understand and that includes making ALL websites providers simplify their cookie policies like (green logo means (Except) and red means (reject) because there’s millions of cookie policies designed to confuse or encourage people to except them all due to the length of the cookie policies themselves (They need simplifying).
Disabled people don’t have a voice when it comes to opting out of advertisements on TV/Radio because there’s a majority who don’t understand the small print that is hidden amongst the colourful glossy adverts that are designed to distract the average person.
And the previous comment regarding the adult advertisements regarding male sufferers of P/E and other dis functions
( Something my household members want to see or hear) there’s time the (Mute) button is pressed just as these advertisements appear simply because of the phycological torture it’s causing)
Most adverts I watch would be impossible to do! such as the cleaning of a dirty dish after it had been used to cook somthing, to see it perfectly clean with 1 wipe is not possible! The adverts on smelling are also ridiculus, have you ever seen a croud at a bus stop or in a life go so made over the smell of somebody?
The ad breaks are too long and too loud!
The final ad break between Emmerdale tonight, the 24th July 2024, was 4 mins 1.09. There are three breaks during the Thursday 07.30-08.30 programme. That is a total of 12 mins 3.27. Surely this exceeds
Regulations for a one hour programme? As I am sensitive to noise AND feel that repeating the same reel constantly feels like brainwashing, is there no alternative but to switch off? These companies are now blocking viewers from fast forwarding
so there is no escape, so what are the Regulations or recommendations regarding decibels of noise levels in the evening wind down. Just because we happen to enjoy a storyline, we should not have to risk illness.
During a recent illness, I had more time in doors and watched more TV
Most adverts were not about the product and often acutely exaggerated the products ability:
– Germs & smells leaping out of toilets
-Beds in fields with abundant freshness
– Faries / butterflies leaping out of package’s
– Cupboard’s just slide away and others slide into position.
Most adverts are a farce and bare no aspect of reality.
Who approves these farcical adverts and why???
Watching a film on great romance channel the advert period was as long as 8 minutes long and every 15 minutes of film time. This is ridiculous and goes a long way in turning off the viewing, ruining television.
I watch my TV through Freeview and have timed the length of advertising because every time I change channels, adverts are on. It turns out that in excess of 30% of every hours air time is spent on advertising. Disgraceful but as per usual, those who are suppose to monitor do nothing about this.
Does not the showing of the same advert or trailer sometimes more than 50 times on ITV Constitute brainwashing