[Scarlett.]

Product placement is to be allowed on British TV shows, in a move expected to be announced next week.

Independent broadcasters will be allowed to take payments for displaying commercial products during shows.

The change is intended to bring in extra funds for commercial broadcasters. Experts believe it could raise up to £100m a year.

There are currently strict rules against product placement and this ban would remain in place on BBC shows.

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw is expected to make announce a three-month consultation on the changes in a speech to the Royal Television Society next week.

An ITV spokesman welcomed the move, which he described as "reforming UK prohibition".


You have to trust the consumer. If it's overdone or tasteless, viewers will switch off.
Peter Bazalgette, Big Brother creator

He said: "If the government does decide to permit product placement, it will be warmly welcomed by the commercial broadcasting industry and advertisers alike.

"Reforming the UK prohibition would also be a welcome acknowledgement of the pressures currently faced by an industry in transition. New sources of revenue means better-funded content - which can only be good news for viewers."

The spokesman added that ITV had led the campaign for product placement in the UK, which he said could be an important new revenue stream, as it already is in Europe.

The culture secretary's predecessor, Andy Burnham, had said in March that "serious concerns" remained about product placement because it could harm editorial independence.

'Trust the consumer'

But the government now believes that placement should be allowed in some circumstances.

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said the current situation puts the UK at a competitive disadvantage.

It is believed that ministers want to help struggling broadcasters such as ITV, which have been hit hard by the recession.

The change could mean that products will be much more visible in popular series such as Coronation Street and Britain's Got Talent. At present, the shows are forced to cover up labels to comply with the strict guidelines - or face fines.

Lewis Hamilton
Sport has led the way in product placement

On Channel 4's Big Brother, food and drink products consumed in the house come in packaging where any logos have been carefully obscured.

The ban would stay in place for the BBC and would continue to apply to all children's programmes across all networks.

The creator of Big Brother, Peter Bazalgette, said product placement was already widespread and that lifting the ban was "hugely overdue".

He said: "My prediction is that it could be worth £100m a year to commercial TV.

"Product placement needs to be done transparently, with credits that make it clear it has taken place.

"But you have to trust the consumer. If it's overdone or tasteless, viewers will switch off.

"And it's rife in British television anyway. There's product placement in movies that go on television and in imported American TV shows and dramas.

"And what about those sports events where sponsors' logos are worn on shirts? Product placement won't dramatically change the way we watch TV."

BBC News

[Tom]

I never really got the big deal with product placement. A lot of people think its cheesy looks to the camera saying "I'm about to phone my mum using a BT line which cost £9.99 per month for free unlimited calls to UK land lines" or something like that, when all it really means is Sally Webster will now go to Tesco instead of Freshco

[Scarlett.]

yeah, which is what I want, I mean, pretend brands cam be funny, but having real ones is better

[arista]

Yes ITV needed this.

[Scarlett.]

Aye, and the other commercial channels, but especially ITV

[BigSister]

lol they stole my name product placement

[newshoes]

channel 4 will be gutted as they have been the only channel against the legalization of product placement