ADVERTISING / RESOURCES: Childcatchers - the tricks to push unhealthy food to children

Kids' food campaign

We're calling for an end to the irresponsible marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

Underhand marketing tricks are increasingly being used to target children, and parents may not even be aware that it's happening.

From fast food brands embedded in top online games to branded playgrounds, the marketing techniques used to promote foods high in fat, sugar and salt directly to children are getting more sophisticated.

Nearly one third of two to 15 year-olds in England are now classed as overweight or obese. It's time the food and marketing industries acknowledged the roles they play.

Which? believes that irresponsible marketing of foods high in fat, sugar and salt to children has to stop. If you agree, join our campaign now.

Childcatchers

Our report, Childcatchers - the tricks used to push unhealthy food to children, (available below), exposes the top twelve marketing techniques used to push junk food to children, including viral marketing, competitions and games. Here are a few examples. (SEE BELOW FOR A LINK TO THE FULL TEXT)

 

Brands in ConTXT

Mobile phone marketing reaches young people directly, in a format they relate to. In 2003 a promotion for Fanta soft drink offered the chance to text a special code in a competition to win a mobile phone. Fanta contains the equivalent of nearly nine teaspoons of sugar per can.

 

Playing with your food

We found a McDonalds Play Food set on sale in Argos with plastic burgers, nuggets and shakes for children to play at assembling and selling. The only healthy items were a plastic tomato slice and lettuce leaf for putting in a burger.

 

Net gains

Online games and branded websites appeal directly to children's interests. www.mouthwateringtv.co.uk offers 'mouthwatering' gossip, competitions and games... and plenty of mentions of Starburst sweets. Competitions allow the company to collect email addresses for future promotions.

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Which? campaigning

Which?'s nutrition campaigning aims to help make healthy choices easy choices for consumers. We're not campaigning against marketing in itself, but against the way food companies are using their considerable influence to make parents' lives harder. They're stacking up long-term health problems for our children, and washing their hands of the responsibility for the results.

Why now?

This year is a crucial one for this issue. The industry knows it's under pressure, and the Government has promised to legislate if there hasn't been real progress by 2007.

We want to see responsible marketing. We want to make sure that any voluntary codes of conduct the industry comes up with are strong enough to protect children, and that if they aren't, that the Government takes robust action.

Support the campaign

Sign up now and share your views to help us show the industry and Government that consumers really want things to change.

 

 

SOURCE: http://www.which.net/campaigns/food/kidsfood/index.html

 

PDF report: http://www.which.net/campaigns/food/kidsfood/060131childcatchers_rep.pdf

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Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator

 

Youth Media Consulting GbR
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 11th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

 

Tel./Fax: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

 

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

 

The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.
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