News: Which? attacks promotions aimed at children

Promoters have hit back against claims by consumer group Which? that they are continuing to “irresponsibly” market unhealthy food and drink to children.

A new report out today (July 16) criticises the food and drink industry for targeting under-12s through promotions using “fun freebies”, cartoon characters and film tie-ins such as the Spiderwick Chronicles and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Which? notes that some brand owners have introduced policies committing them to stop marketing to children under 12 but it then goes on to claim that some have been exploiting “lax regulations” by using mobile and online media to reach younger people.

Promotions criticised in the report range from the current tie-in between McDonald’s Happy Meals and the film Kung Fu Panda to the promotional partnership between Burger King and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. “We found lots of companies using free give-aways, incentive schemes and competitions to promote less healthy products to children,” the report says.

Other brand owners named in the report, called Food Fables – The Second Sitting, as targeting children included Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola, Cadbury, Mars and PepsiCo.

However, the industry has denied the allegations, with Burger King pointing out that its tie-in with Indiana Jones was agreed before its commitment to new policies on marketing to children.

The Food and Drink Federation, which represents manufacturers, dismissed the report as being out of date. In December, an alliance of food companies including Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Mars and Burger King signed an EU pledge to stop marketing junk food to children under 12 by the end of 2008.

“The UK now has some of the strictest advertising regulations in the world,” said a spokesman for the federation. “The only food fables are those you will read in this sloppy report, which lacks any real substance, is very subjective and paints a misleading picture of what is actually happening.”

Sue Davies, chief policy adviser at Which?, said: “We’re not against treats, and we’re not against marketing, but we are against irresponsible company practices and hollow company commitments. You just have to walk around any supermarket to see the wealth of cartoon characters persuading children to pick the less healthy option.

“Tackling the obesity problem demands action in many areas to make healthy choices easier. It’s time all food companies started to fully play their part and focused their vast array of creative and persuasive marketing techniques on selling healthier foods to children instead of less healthy ones.”