Under the new regulation, those beverage products with caffeine content in excess of 0.15 mg per milliliter (4.4 mg/fl oz.) are not supposed to promote on network and cable channels during the evening peak time between 5 and 7. (image: Simon le nippon at Flickr)
SEOUL, South Korea, Sept 28 (Korea Bizwire) – Following an advertising regulation on food items that may cause obesity, the government will this time crack down on caffeine drinks for their promotion on TV. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on September 16 that it has notified administrative orders on restricting TV commercials of drinks with high caffeine content. According to the orders, any drink deemed high in caffeine must say so prominently on the labels in red color.
Under the new regulation, those beverage products with caffeine content in excess of 0.15 mg per milliliter (4.4 mg/fl oz.) are not supposed to promote on network and cable channels during the evening peak time between 5 and 7. For example, a cup of brewed coffee contains caffeine of about 13.4 mg per fl oz. while a can of Red Bull 9.5 mg per fl oz. A 12-oz. Coca-Cola can contains 34 mg (or 2.8 mg/fl oz.) of caffeine.
But the new directive is limited in that it is not applicable to ice creams and caffeine-high coffees and teas. A Food and Drug Safety Ministry official said, “We didn’t consider coffees and teas in the regulation as everyone knows they are full of caffeine. As for chocolates and ice creams, we weren’t able to include in the items under regulation. But lately some food manufacturers sell food items such as caffeine gums with which we are watching closely.” The administrative orders, once notified, will go through a series of public hearing process and then officially go into effect in January next year.
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