Response to Sustain Report: ‘Children’s food and health’

The Food Advertising Unit believes that a ban on TV food advertising to children would be a simplistic, short-term response, which is demonstrably ineffective in improving diet. Quebec and Sweden both have bans on TV advertising to children, yet this has not led to changes in diets or levels of obesity.

It is entirely unrealistic to think that children can be ‘cocooned’ from all advertising, whether on TV or in other media. In today’s world, children are inevitably exposed to commercial messages whether they are intended for them or not. Explaining how advertising works and how to use it would be a better option.

The context in which advertising takes place needs to be taken into account. Sustain’s Report ignores other representations of food outside advertisements. In any case, children’s views on food are shaped more by family, school and community than by the media.

The experts agree that TV advertising remains a relatively minor influence on children’s food choices. Factors such as parental attitudes, peer attitudes, price and simply ‘taste’ - what children like and dislike - combine to be more significant. No matter how much advertising is given to a product, other factors decide whether the product is bought and then consumed regularly.

We question whether Sustain has fully considered the ‘unintended consequences’ that further restrictions on TV advertising would have on the funding and quality of children’s programming. In countries where advertising to children is banned, there is less dedicated children’s programming and less investment in own-originated material produced in their own language and culture.

As a recent report points out, some 52% of people do not actively try to choose a healthy diet and here lies the heart of the problem. Successfully supporting and encouraging consumers to place ‘health’ and ‘nutritional value’ at the top of their shopping lists will lead businesses directly to produce and get to market more products focused around these priorities. Interestingly, attacking the advertising industry recognises its expertise in communicating with consumers but does not provide a route to using this knowledge. This in itself is counterproductive. The industry is keen to develop a partnership rather than adversarial role in the debate that will allow it to use its skills to best effect. We also believe that activity is a key element in ensuring a healthy lifestyle – Sustain appear to ignore this critical factor.

Commenting on this issue, Jeremy Preston, Director of the Food Advertising Unit said: “The food advertising industry has consistently recognised the issue of childhood obesity and wishes to be actively involved in contributing to a solution alongside government, educators, medical professionals and parents. The industry will be cooperating fully with the recently announced Ofcom review of broadcast advertising codes and contributing to the White Paper consultation on Public Health. The issue of childhood obesity is complex and requires a wide range of solutions involving attention to diet and activity – a call for an advertising ban will not provide the solution, indeed where this has been tried it has failed.”

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Notes to editors

The Food Advertising Unit (FAU), based in the offices of the UK Advertising Association is a centre for information, communication and research in the area of food advertising, particularly television advertising to children. The FAU represents media, manufacturers and agencies with an interest in food advertising.

For further information

Contact Suzanne Edmond on 020 7828 2771.

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