Cartoon characters banned from junk food in Aus?

[Drago]

I figure interesting happenings in the government are usually good miscellaneous convo fodder, and this one's taken my interest...

Labor obesity plan targets cartoons
Cartoon characters such as Shrek could disappear from junk food packaging as part of a plan to fight childhood obesity under a federal Labor plan.

Fairfax newspapers reported that Labor health spokeswoman Nicola Roxon strongly hinted during a National Health Reform Summit in Canberra that Labor could ban the use of licensed characters, as well as toys and other giveaways, to market food and drink to children.

The plan, confirmed by other sources, establishes a point of difference between the two major parties at a time when Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has been accused of mimicking government policies, the report said.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/NATION...647853168.html (Full article)

At a glance, this seems fair enough. Banning popular characters like Shrek who are used for promotional purposes can really cut back on the product sales; Shrek's on cheese & bacon ball packaging, for crying out loud.

However, this campaign isn't limited to promotional characters like Shrek or whatever's hot at the time; it targets even junk food product mascots, like Toucan Sam or Coco the Monkey. This would mean that, in all forms of Australian marketing, be it Internet, television or right on the box, junk food products would be devoid of their mascots.

What's everyone's two cents on this? Is this as significant as I seem to think? Does anyone think it's a swell idea or a laughable mistake? Should this topic extend to cover the broader topic of childhood obesity? All this and more, to follow...