UK to lift product placement ban

The UK government is this week expected to lift the ban on product placement on TV programmes, paving the way for deals that could raise up to ₤125m (€143m) a year for the beleaguered industry.

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw is likely to propose reforms that would allow commercial broadcasters to charge for featuring brands in TV programmes, bringing the UK in line with parts of Europe and the US. Some experts have predicted deals could raise as much as £125m a year for broadcasters.

The BBC will still be prevented from promoting products, even if programmes are made by independent companies. It is likely that the ban will remain in place for all children’s programming.