Ajunk‐freechildhood:
Responsiblestandardsformarketing
foodsandbeveragestochildren
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AbriefingpaperfromTheStanMarkProjectofthe
InternationalAssociationfortheStudyofObesity
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PreparedbyTimLobstein,TriinParnandAngeAikenhead
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StanMark
Standards for Marketing to children
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
Themarketingoffoodsandnon‐alcoholicbeverageswithahighcontentoffat,
sugarorsaltreacheschildrenthroughouttheworld.Effortsmustbemadeto
ensurethatchildreneverywhereareprotectedagainsttheimpactofsuch
marketingandgiventheopportunitytogrowanddevelopinanenablingfood
environment—onethatfostersandencourageshealthydietarychoicesand
promotesthemaintenanceofhealthyweight.
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DrAlaAlwan,AssistantDirectorGeneral,
WorldHealthOrganization
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StanMark
Standards for marketing to children

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ThisreporthasbeenproducedwiththeassistanceoftheEuropeanUnionwithinthe
frameworkofthePilotProjectonTransatlanticMethodsforHandlingGlobalChallenges.
ThecontentsofthisreportarethesoleresponsibilityofIASOandcaninnowaybetaken
toreflecttheviewsoftheEuropean
Union.
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
Contents
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
Summary1

1.Background3
 Policydevelopment3
 Nextsteps4

2.Company‐ledself‐regulation6
 Problemsofdefinitions6
 Whatageisachild?6
 Whichproductscanbepromoted?7
 Whichmedia?8

 Furthergapsincompany‐ledself‐regulation9
Company‐ownedwebsites9
 Socialnetworkingsites10
 Generalisedbranding11

restrictsuchmarketingtoensurethatchildrenarenotundulyinfluencedtoconsumefoods
highinfats,sugarandsalt.A2009reviewofregulations(thePolMarkstudy
1
)suggestedthat
successfulregulationrequiredgovernmentleadershipwithspecifiedtimelinesandclear,
measurableobjectives.In2010theWorldHealthAssemblypassedaResolutionwhichurged
memberstatestointroducecontrolsonthemarketingoffoodsandbeveragestochildren,
andissuedasetofRecommendationsidentifyingtheapproachesthatcouldbetaken
2
.

Theseincreasingcallsforactionhaveledtoaseriesofpolicyresponses,including
government‐ledvoluntaryagreementswithindustryandstatutoryregulation.Ofparticular
importanceistheresponseofleadingfoodandbeveragecompanies,whohaveproposed
theproposedaseriesofcompany‐ledpledgestoreducetheirmarketingactivitiesdirected
atchildren.Thesepledgescovertypesofmarketingpracticewhichmaylieoutsidethe
traditionalindustry‐widecodesofconductandnationalregulationsonadvertising.

However,comparisonofdifferentcompanypledgesandstatementsshowsadegreeof
inconsistency,asshowninthisreport,whichmakesevaluationoftheimpactofthepledges
hardtoassess.Furthermorethereappeartobelapsesintheadherencetothesepledges
withinEurope,andevidencethattheyarenotappliedinotherregions(givingriseto‘off‐
shore’marketingtoEuropeanchildrenviatheinternet)socallingintoquestionthe
companies’strengthofcommitment.

Inordertoassistgovernmentsandguideindustry,theStanMarkprojectundertookaseries
ofpolicyandresearchmeetingsinvolvingexpertsandofficialsfromcountriesinEuropeand
NorthAmerica,fundedunderthePilotProjectsprogrammeoftheEuropeanUnion’s
ExternalAffairsService
3

disease.
• Marketingmediaarethosewhichcarrymarketingmessages,including:packaging,
productformulationandpresentation,andsportsevents.
• Marketingtechniquesincludealltechniqueswithspecialappealtochildrenand
adolescents.
• Non‐specificbrandpromotionshouldbeassumedtobeprohibitedunlessthepromotion
isspecificallyandonlyforpermittedproducts.
• Marketinglocationsincluderetailandcateringplacesandsettingswherechildrenmay
beundulyexposed–i.e.wherechildrengather.
• Accountablebodiesarethosewitha‘dutyofcare’inthemarketingprocess,including
mediadistributors,webhostsandinternetserviceproviders.
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3

1Background

Forachild,excessbodyweightisariskfactorforlateradultdisease,includingdiabetes,
heartdisease,severalmajorcancersandotherchronicdiseases.Childhoodoverweightis
associatedwithimpairedhealthduringchildhooditself,includingpsycho‐socialdistress,
increasedriskofhighbloodpressure,insulinresistanceandfattyliverdiseasewhichmay
continueuntreatedformanyyears.Onceestablished,obesityinchildren(asinadults)is
hardtoreverse.Primarypreventionisessential.

Marketingofpotentiallyunhealthyfoodproductsisrecognisedasapossiblefactorinchild
obesityandwasidentifiedasariskinanexpertreportfortheWorldHealthOrganizationin
2002
4
.SystematicreviewsconductedintheUKin2003,
5
intheUSAin2005

whichwerepresentedtotheWorld
HealthAssemblyin2010.In2009,theWHOEuropeanRegionalNetworkontheProtection
ofChildrenfromMarketingPressureproposedasetofstandardsforadvertisingfoodto
children.
11


4
WHO(2002)Diet,NutritionandthePreventionofChronicDiseases.TechnicalReportSeries916.See
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_916.pdf
5
DoesFoodPromotionInfluenceChildren?ASystematicReviewoftheEvidenceFoodStandardsAgency,London2003.See
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2003/sep/promote
6
FoodMarketingtoChildrenandYouth:ThreatorOpportunity?Institute ofMedicine,WashingtonDC2005.
7
AdvertisingandmarketingpracticesonchildobesityDGInternalPolicies,EuropeanParliament,Brussels,2008.
IP/A/ENVI/NT/2007‐20&21.(PE400.989)
8
EuropeanCharteroncounteractingobesity,paragraph2.4.6,EUR/06/5062700/8,61995.WorldHealthOrganisation,
RegionalOfficeforEurope,2006.Seehttp://www.euro.who.int/Document/E89567.pdf.
9
AStrategyforEuropeonNutrition,OverweightandObesityrelatedhealthissues.COM(2007)279Page6.Brussels.
10
ResolutionWHA60.23.WorldHealthAssemblyGeneva,2007.See
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA60/A60_R23‐en.pdf
11
CodeonMarketingofFoodandNon‐AlcoholicBeveragestoChildren,EuropeanNetworkonreducing
marketingpressureonchildren,2009.Seehttp://www.helsedirektoratet.no/marketing
4

InMay2010the
GroceryManufacturersofAmericapledgedtocut1.5trillioncaloriesfromtheUSdietby
2015.
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OfspecificconcernintheUSA,asitisinEurope,isthequestionofself‐regulationby
theindustryversusstatutoryregulation,withindustrypromisesbeingwatchedbytheWhite
Houseandmonitoredbyindependentagencies
19
.

Nextsteps

Recentresearchhasstrengthenedtheevidencebaseforaction,butcrucialworkonthe
impactonparticularpopulationsubgroups,suchaschildreninlowerincomefamilies,
childreninspecificculturalandethnicgroups,ornewimmigrantfamilies,needstobe
extended.Atthesametimethetechnologyforadvertisinghaschanged,withnewformsof
media(i.e.internet,cellphones)becomingavailabletolargernumbersofchildrenand
offeringlow‐cost,effectivemeansofreachingchildrendirectlyformarketingpurposes.
Furthermore,cross‐bordermarketing–e.g.usinginternet,satellite,andproductplacement
inimportedprogrammes–isnotamenabletocontrolbyasinglejurisdiction.

12
TheEffectofAdvertisingandMarketingPracticesonChildObesity.EconomicandScientificPolicy,DGInternalPolicies,
EuropeanParliament,Brussels,2008.IP/A/ENVI/ST/2007‐16.(PE393.525)
13
Item40,EuropeanParliamentresolutionof25September2008ontheWhitePaperonnutrition,overweight
andobesity‐relatedhealthissues.P6_TA(2008)0461.
14
FoodMarketingtoChildrenandYouth:ThreatorOpportunity?InstituteofMedicine,WashingtonDC2005.
15

recommendationsonmarketingoffoodsandnon‐alcoholicbeveragestochildrenandcalled
forinternationalactiontoreducetheimpactonchildrenofthemarketingoffoodsor
beverageshighinsaturatedortransfats,freesugarsorsalt(HSTFSS).
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The
recommendationsformedpartoftheWorldHealthOrganization’sglobalstrategyforthe
preventionandcontrolofnon‐communicablediseases.TheAssemblyurgedmember
nationstotakeactiontoreduceboththeexposureofchildrento,andthepowerof,
marketingforsuchfoods.

However,nationalgovernmentsmaynotbeabletocontrolallthemarketingpracticesthat
influenceachild’sdiet.MarketingopportunitiesarisewhenTVchannelsarereceivedfrom
sourcesoutsidenationalboundaries,whenInternetaccessislargelyunmediated,when
sponsoredsportingeventsaretransmittedglobally,andwhenfilmsandvideogamesare
tradedacrossnationalborders.Itfollowsthatasetofuniversalstandardscanhelpto
ensurethatthemarketingofHSTFSSproductscanfullycomplywiththeWorldHealth
Assembly’srecommendations.

Universalmarketingstandardshavefurtherbenefits.Restrictedmarketingcanserveto
equalisethecompetitiveenvironmentforcompaniesofdifferentsizes.Froman
enforcementviewpoint,aset
ofuniversalstandardscansupportnationalauthorities,the
privatesectorandcivilsocietytoensurecomplianceandtorespondtoinfringements.
Further,wherenationalauthoritiesdonothavethecapacitytoensurechildrenand
adolescentsareprotectedfromlocalorcross‐bordermarketingoffoodsandbeverages,a
setofinternationally‐agreedstandardscanensureacommon,minimumlevelofprotection
foryoungpeopleinallnations.




activities;(b)tobeindependentandfreefromindustryinfluence,andseentobeso;and(c)
toensurethattheirservicesareeasilyandinexpensivelyaccessedbyconsumers.Penalties
mustbecommensuratewiththesizeofthemarketingbudgetsinvolvedandwiththe
estimatedexposureofchildrentotheoffendingcommercialmessages.

Afurtherconcernistheneedtoensurethat,whateverthedifferencesindefinitionsor
approaches,allcompaniesshouldmakesomecommitmenttoofferself‐restraint.Inthe
Europeanregiononly11companieshavejoinedthescheme,alongwiththeEuropean
SnacksAssociation.Severalmajorcompanies,includingMcDonald’s,KFCandHaribo,and
manysmalleronesarenotincluded.


Problemsofdefinitions

Companieschoosetherulestoimposeuponthemselves.Asaresulttherearelikelytobe
discrepanciesandinconsistencies.Hereweshalllookatsuchproblemsencounteredwithin
thepledgesandpromisesandactivitiesundertakenbycompaniesintheEuropeanUnion.

Whatageisachild?

Thetablebelowprovidesexamplesofdefinitionsoftheage‐rangefor‘child’bycompanies
participatingintheEUpledgescheme.Pleasenotethattheinterpretationofacompany
policycanbecomplex,andreadersareadvisedtocheckthecompanystatementsfor
themselves(hyperlinksareprovided).
7


Table1AgedefinitionsincompanyEUpledges(clickhyperlinkfordetails)
Organization Agefornomarketing Ageformarketingofspecifiedproducts 
Coca‐Cola <12*

suitableformarketingtochildren,asproposedbysomeofthecompaniesintheEUpledge:

Table2Company‐setcriteriaforfoodstheycanmarkettochildren
Company Energy
(kcal)
Total
fat
Saturated
fat
Trans
fat
Added
sodium
Added
sugar
Notes
BurgerKing
perchild’s
meal
≤560 <30%
energy
<10%energy 0g≤660mg≤10%
energy
Noartificial
colourings,
flavourings
Kelloggper
serving
≤200‐ ≤2g 0g≤230mg≤12g Exceptionsfor
waffles.

Kraft Specificcriteriafordifferentfoodgroups.
Nestlé Specificcriteriafordifferentfoodgroups.

21
BetterBusinessBureauCouncil(2008)TheChildren’sFood&BeverageAdvertisingInitiativeInAction.See
http://www.bbb.org/us/storage/16/documents/CFBAI/ChildrenF&BInit_Sept21.pdf
8


Thefollowingtablegivessomeexamplesoffoodswhichcompaniesstatetheycanmarketto
childrenaccordingtotheirownnutritionalcriteria,andtheratingofthosefoodsunder
threegovernment‐ledcategorisationsystems:theUKOfcomRegulationsforTVmarketing
tochildren,
22
theNordicKeyholeschemefordefininghealthierfoodproducts
23
andthe
proposedUSInteragencyWorkingGroupschemeforvoluntaryrestrictionsonmarketingto
children
24
.

Table3Productcomparisonsofcriteriaallowingmarketing
Companyand
Product
Company
owncriteria
Ofcom
criteria
Keyhole

imposecertain

22
UKOfficeofCommunications(Ofcom)2007.See
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/foodads_new/statement/andsee
http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20100927130941/http://food.gov.uk/healthiereating/advertisingtochi
ldren/nutlab/nutprofmod
23
DevelopedbytheSwedishNationalFoodAdministrationtodefinehealthierfoodproducts,andnowusedin
Sweden,NorwayandDenmark.Seehttp://www.slv.se/en‐gb/Group1/Food‐and‐Nutrition/Keyhole‐symbol/
andseehttp://www.norden.org/en/news‐and‐events/news/first‐anniversary‐nordic‐consumers‐want‐more‐
keyhole‐food
24
FederalTradesCommission(2011)InteragencyWorkingGroupSeeksInputonProposedVoluntaryPrinciples
forMarketingFoodtoChildren.Seehttp://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/04/foodmarket.shtm
25
Seehttp://www.conar.org.br/html/livro/REF49NESTLE%20‐
%20EU%20Pledge%20Nestle%20Commitment.pdf
9

criteriaonthepercentageoftheaudiencethatmustbecomprisedofchildreninorderfor
self‐regulationtobeapplicable–furtherdetailsareshowninTable1above.

Table4Companystatementsofmediaincludedinself‐regulation
Company TV,radio

Printed
media
Paidfor
adson

foradvertisingonthird‐partysites,companiesdonotusuallyincludetheirownweb‐sites,
whichtheyseeaseditorialratherthanadvertising.Althoughsomegovernment‐approved
codes(e.g.theUKCAPCode)includecompany‐ownedsites,mostindustry‐wideadvertising
regulationsinEuropeancountriesdonot,andindustry‐ledpledgesgenerallydonotorare
ambiguousaboutwhattheyconsider‘advertising’ontheirownwebsites.Manycompanies
usetheirownsitestoattractchildrenwithgames,puzzles,clubsanddownloadablegifts,or
offerbrandedproductswhichchildrenmaypestertheirparentstobuy.

ExamplesbelowshowNesquikchildren’sgamesonacompany‐ownedsiteandanexample
ofM&Mspromotions(someareasofthesiteaskiftheviewer‘sageisabove12years).

10





Socialnetworkingsites

Thereisalsoa‘grey’areaconcerningtheusebycompaniesofthird‐partysocialnetworking
sitessuchasFacebooktopromotechild‐attractiveactivitieswithfood‐relatedbranding.An
exampleoftheuseofFacebookisshownbelow:

11



Generalisedbranding

Companiesdonotusuallyincludeintheirself‐regulationanycontrolsonthebrandingof

Althoughsomecompanieshaveagreedtoreducetheuseoflicensedcharacters(e.g.film
tie‐inssuchasShrekandToyStory)otherscontinuetousesuchmarketingdevices.
Examplesbelowshowlicensedcharactersfromfilms(Rio,Thor,KungFuPanda)usedto
promoteproductshighinsugarsorfats.NotethatKungFuPandaisbeingusedby
McDonald’s,acompanythathasnotjoinedtheEUpledgescheme.




14



Inaddition,mostcompaniesstillpermitthemselvestousecharacterswhichtheyownand
havedevelopedwiththeirbrands(knownasbrand‐equitycharacters),suchasQuikythe
bunny(Nesquik)andTonytheTiger(Frosties).OthersincludeUnileverWalls‘Maxthelion’
(seepicturebelow).



15


Productdesignandpackaging

Self‐regulationgenerallydoesnotincludepackagingorproductdesignandthesecanbe
powerfulmarketingtoolstoattractpurchases.Theexamplebelowshowsaproductshaped,
flavouredandtexturedtoappealtochildreninaboxwithatie‐ingamelaunchedby
Kellogg’sonFacebookandfeaturingtheKraveKrusader(whomustovercomechallenges
andobstaclestoreachchocolate).







Newtechnology

Methodsformarketingtochildrenarerapidlyevolving,andmanyaredesignedtoby‐pass
parentsorenhancechild‐to‐childmarketing.In2007KFC’sadvertisingagencyengineereda
TVcommercialcontaininghigh‐pitchednoiseswhichonlyyoungpeoplearelikelytohear–
17

andfollowedthisupwithawebsiteofferingfreemealvoucherstothosewhocanidentify
thepointintheadvertisementwhenthenoiseoccurred.
27


Morerecently,MicrosoftannouncedtechnologytoallowX‐Boxplayerstousevoicecontrols
duringgamingwhichwouldforwardadvertisingmessagestotheirfriend’sphoneswhenever
marketingpromotionswerepresentinthegame.
28






27
EBlasshttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/11/kfc‐ad‐agency‐strikes‐again‐with‐mosquito‐tone‐

conformtonationaldietaryguidelinesandinternationalstandardssupportingtheWHO
GlobalStrategyonDiet,PhysicalActivityandHealth
29
.

Ahighstandard:Foodandbeveragesshouldbecategorisedaccordingtoavalidated
nutrientprofilingsystem.ExamplesmayincludetheUKOfcommodelusedtoregulate
advertisingontelevision,
30
theNordicKeyholefoodcategorisationmodel,
31
ortheproposals
fromtheUSInteragencyWorkingGroup
32
.

Standard2:Agegroups

Issue:Somemarketingworksbelowconsciouscontrol.Evenwhenchildrenandadolescents
areawareofmarketing,theymaybetrustinganduncriticalofthemessages.Medialiteracy
doesnotreducemarketingmessageimpact.

Proposal:Riskreductionmeanspromotingonlytothosepersonswhohavereachedanage
whentheyarelegallyconsideredtobecompetentenoughtoprotecttheirownwelfare.

29
WorldHealthOrganization,2004See
http://www.who.int/entity/dietphysicalactivity/strategy/eb11344/strategy_english_web.pdf
30
UKOfficeofCommunications(Ofcom)2007.See

programmes,films,games,toysandotherproducts).Foodpackaging,formulationand
presentationareincluded,asaresponsoredsportseventsandproductplacements.

Ahighstandard:Acomprehensiveapproachassumesallmediaunlessspecifically
exempted.Mediabroadcastacrossseveraltimezonesshouldbe
assumedtoreachchildren
andadolescents.ExamplesfromothersectorsincludeFacebook,whichprohibitstobacco
andgamblingmarketingandrestrictsalcoholmarketing.
34
Fortobacco,theFramework
ConventiononTobaccoControlprovidesacomprehensivedefinition:‘allformsof
commercialcommunication,recommendationoractionandanyformofcontributiontoan
event,activityorindividual’.
35


Standard4:Marketingmethods

Issue:Mostmarketingworksbelowconsciousawareness,andchildreninparticularmaybe
vulnerabletomarketingmessagesofspecialappealtothem.Manymarketingmethodsfall
outsidecurrentadvertisingregulations.

Proposal:Riskreductionmeansexcludingtechniqueswithspecialappealtochildrenand
adolescents.Thisincludestheuseofcartooncharacters,
animation,celebrities,sports
personalities,andthecolouring,shapinganddesignofproductsandpackaginglikelytohave
aparticularappealtochildrenandadolescents.

Ahighstandard:Acomprehensiveapproachacknowledgesthatchildrenandadolescents
areexposedtomanymarketingmessages,includingthosedesignedtoattractthemand

productsneedtobetreatedasiftheywerepromotingthefoodorbeveragetowhichthey
areassociated.

Ahighstandard:Acomprehensiveapproachrestrictstheuseofbrandpromotionlikelyto
influencechildrenwhenthatbrandhasarecognisableassociationwithfoodanddrink
productssubjecttomarketingrestrictions.Wherebrandslinktomultipleproducts,the
assumptionshouldbethatthebrandispromotingthemostfamiliarorhighestsellingofits
products.ProposalsfromtheAustralianObesityPolicyCoalitionsuggestthatbrandsshould
berestrictedunlesstheyarebeingusedinapromotionforahealthyfoodproductor
range.
38
‘Brand’meansthenameofafoodorbeverageproductorrangeofproducts,orthe
manufacturerordistributorthereof,oranyotherwords,designsorimagesthatareclosely
associatedwithsuchproducts.

Standard6:Settingsandlocations

Issue:Authoritiesresponsibleforstandardswherechildrenaregathered,suchasschools
andchildcarefacilities,haveadutytoensurethatnothingprejudicesachild’swellbeing.

Proposal:Riskreductionmeansthatallsettingswherechildrengathershouldbefreefrom
thepromotionofspecifiedfoodandbeverages,includingbrands,logos,vouchersandgifts
associatedwithsuchproducts.

Ahighstandard:Acomprehensiveapproachavoidstheneedtospecifyeverypossible
setting.TheWHORecommendationsstate“settingsinclude,butarenotlimitedto,
nurseries,schools,schoolgroundsandpre‐schoolcentres,playgrounds,familyandchild
clinicsandpaediatricservices,andduringanysportingandculturalactivitiesthatareheld
onthesepremises”.
39

marketingmessagetobeaccountable.Forsponsorshipmediathisincludessportsevent
hosts.Forpromotionaltechniquesembodiedinafoodproductthis
includesimporters,
retailersandcaterers.Cross‐bordermarketingstandardsneedtobeenforceablethrough
internationalagreementswithsanctions.Examplesofpossiblestandard‐settingmechanisms
includeWHOhealthregulations,ISOstandardsandCodexAlimentariusstandards.


40
http://business.highbeam.com/410209/article‐1G1‐204543912/alcohol‐advertising‐billboards‐transit‐
shelters‐and
41
http://tobaccodocuments.org/women/2080811374‐1392.html.
22

Appendix

WorldHealthOrganization

SetofRecommendationsontheMarketingofFoodsandNon‐alcoholic
BeveragestoChildren
42

Rationale

1. The policy aim should be to reduce the impact on children of marketing of foods
high in saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, free sugars, or salt.


42
Fulldocumentavailableathttp://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241500210_eng.pdf