food marketing to children: game...
TRANSCRIPT
Food Marketing to children: Game Over?
Emma Calvert
Food Policy Officer
EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health Brussels, 9th March
What is the link between obesity and marketing?
Advertising of food high in fat, sugar and salt is clearly associated with child overweight
Marketing builds brand loyalty and develops taste preferences
Children do not perceive marketing the way adults do
Overweight and obesity in childhood have long-lasting impacts on health
Parents can try and control what children eat
but can they control what they see?
What is the situation?
1 in 3 children is either overweight or obese
Low-nutrient, energy-dense foods are still heavily marketed to children
‘Old’ media (i.e. TV): increase in advertising during family programmes
New marketing techniques (e.g. advergames, social media) are increasingly used
BEUC members’
work
4 examples
Advergames
Our Policy Demands
EU Pledge to be reshaped
Align with WHO Europe’s criteria
Stop using brand mascots
More government leadership
Move from self-regulation to co-regulation (AVMS Directive under review)
EU Pledge (industry-based criteria) WHO Europe
Cereal bars Permitted Not permitted
• Sugar (per 100g)
≤35g
Breakfast cereals Permitted Permitted
• Sugar (per 100g)
≤30g 15g
Biscuits/cakes Permitted Not permitted
• Sugar (per 100g)
≤35g
Ice cream Permitted Not permitted
• Sugar (per 100g)
≤20g
Yoghurt Permitted Permitted
• Sugar (per 100g)
≤13,5g 10g
Cheese
• Salt (per 100g)
≤2 - 2,25g 1,3g
Ready-meals Permitted Permitted
• Sugar (per 100g) ≤20g 10g
• Salt (per 100g) ≤1,65g 1g
WHO Europe & industry criteria? What differences?
Children’s TV Viewing Times
• The EU Pledge only restricts advertising of foods it deems less healthful to programmes where under-12s make up at least 35% of the audience
• However, much of children’s TV viewing occurs later in the evening
• Children therefore still remain exposed to the advertising of food products which are high in fat, salt and sugar
Licensed Media Characters
• Licensed media characters are used on many foods which are high in fat, salt and sugar
• BEUC welcomes the EU Pledge’s move to stop using licensed media characters for most advertising to children
• We think the Pledge should go further and follow the Netherlands’ example and also stop using them for packaging as well
Altroconsumo (2009). Bambini, stop all’obesita, 2009 OCU (2012). Enganchados al marketing. Test-Achats (2016). Mange mal mon enfant.
Packaging
• EU Pledge doesn’t restrict the use of either licensed media characters or brand mascots on packaging
• Packaging can strongly affect the product preferences of children
• Today, children have a powerful influence on household purchasing decisions - in-store, packaging can increase ‘pester power’
Brand Mascots
• Brand mascots are routinely used by the food industry for products which are high in fat, salt and sugar
• They are a central element of marketing strategy to target young consumers
• Mascots have very strong influences on children and create emotional responses
• BEUC is calling on companies to stop using brand mascots to market foods which do not meet the WHO Nutrient Profiling Model, including on packaging
