NGO Policy Positions: Consumers International and BEUC. StanMark. Sue Davies

Transcription

1 NGO Policy Positions: Consumers International and BEUC Sue Davies Consumers International previous experience Consumers International: The global federation of consumer organisations with over 220 members in all regions BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation 43 members in 31 European countries Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) Around 60 EU and US consumer organisations

2 Consumers International: policy development 1996 A spoonful of sugar multi-national study (including BEUC members) expressed concerns about the amount of advertising to children and use of promotional gifts, cartoon characters and personalities 2004 Junk Food Generation highlighted advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt in Asia (India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines and South Korea) Reports regularly featured in members magazines Research has exposed inconsistent approaches by companies in different countries Essential part of a broader strategy Food marketing to children has to be tackled as part of broader strategies to tackle obesity and diet-related disease Failure to effectively tackle the way foods are marketed to children will undermine other initiatives eg. improved food in schools

3 Need for comprehensive action All children at least up to 16 Restrict unhealthy foods; promote healthier foods Nutrient profiling models need to be independent Needs to cover all forms of marketing targeted at children All child-friendly techniques need to be taken into account Need for comprehensive action

4 CI/ IASO Code Broadcast marketing There should be no marketing to children of energy-dense, nutrient poor foods that are high in fat, sugar or salt and brands associated with such foods. Categorisation of energy-dense, nutrient poor foods that are high in fat, sugar or salt and brands associated with such foods for the purpose of implementing this Code should be based on dietary recommendations established WHO and defined by nutrient profiling. The absolute number of children likely to be watching or listening and the number of children as a proportion of the overall audience should be taken into account

5 Non-broadcast marketing Examples of factors be taken into account: overall presentation, features, content, form and manner language, colours and images target audience of the media or place in which it is seen whether children are potential recipients in significant numbers regardless of the target audience cartoon characters (brand owned and licensed) free gifts, toys or collectible items with appeal to children competitions, vouchers or games with appeal to children sponsorship of materials, products, people, events, projects, cultural, artistic or sporting activities or places popular with children or with a significant child audience Child settings and indirect advertising Settings where children are gathered should be free from commercial inducements to consume energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods that are high in fat, sugar or salt eg. nurseries, schools, school grounds and pre-school centres, playgrounds, family and child clinics and paediatric services Unhealthy foods shouldn t be promoted to adults responsible for children as being healthy

6 Regulation vs. self-regulation Existing self-regulatory Codes do not adequately address the need to restrict less healthy foods to children Attempts to work with advertisers and the food industry through the EU Platform have not made enough progress Some action by member states but too limited Limitations of EU Pledge Major companies are signed up, but still only 11 Covers younger children only Does not cover all forms of marketing used to target children Excludes certain techniques eg. company cartoon characters Products covered are defined by company nutrient profiling criteria

7 Limitations of national approaches UK TV scheduling restrictions are based on the proportion of children watching rather than the number Child appealing techniques can still be used to target less healthy foods to children during the programmes they watch in greatest numbers (eg. The X Factor on a Saturday evening when large number of adults also watch) No meaningful action on non-broadcast marketing Opportunities Support WHO Europe Network Code WHO Recommendations provide an international benchmark, and now need to focus on implementation Reviews of EU White Paper on Nutrition and Obesity and the EU Platform provide an opportunity to drive further action Some positive signs from the US Government Members will continue to lobby at a national level and monitor company practices