Asian children 'trapped by junk food marketing'
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How children in Asia Pacific are being trapped by junk food marketing
* New report demonstrates the extent of junk food marketing to kids in the region * Inadequate national legislation and industry double standards contribute to the world's fastest increase in overweight children A new investigation by the global federation of consumer organisations has revealed the extensive lengths food and soft drink companies go to when marketing unhealthy products to children in Asia Pacific. The Consumers International (CI) report, The Junk Food Trap, reveals how major international brands such as Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, KFC, McDonald's, PepsiCo and Nestlé are using a persuasive array of techniques to influence the food preferences of pre-teen and teenage consumers. From highly sophisticated Internet promotions, to the direct appeal of celebrity and cartoon character endorsements, The Junk Food Trap shows how these companies create intricate brand associations with popular children's pastimes. CI argues that this marketing of unhealthy food is trapping children into a diet of food high in fat, sugar and salt. This is a major contributory factor to the soaring childhood overweight and obesity rates in the region. In South East Asia alone, the percentage of children who are clinically overweight is expected to rise by 27.5% between 2005 and 2010*. An increase rate that is faster than anywhere else in the world. The scale and reach of the junk food marketing effort is astonishing. In Malaysia, for instance, KFC's Chicky Club (a promotion tool for the fast food chain's children's menu) is now the biggest kids' club in the country with a 58,000-strong membership. Equally shocking are the levels of unhealthy ingredients in popular brand-name products in the region. For example, the study found Kellogg's Frostie's contained anything up to 41g of sugar per 100g (15g is considered high**), and a Nestle's Milo Energy Bar that contains over 25g of saturated fat per 100g (5g is considered high**). The Junk Food Trap shows that the response from governments and companies in the region falls far short of what is needed, including a complete absence of on-package nutritional information in India and near non-existent laws in Nepal. Consumers International argues that companies are taking advantage of poor national regulations to promote unhealthy foods in ways that they have pledged to end in some rich world nations. This is why the global consumer movement is calling for an international code for restricting the marketing of unhealthy food to children. Indrani Thuraisingham, Head of Consumers International office for Asia Pacific, said: "The Junk Food Trap report shows how the marketing of unhealthy food to children by the world's leading food and soft drink manufactures is undermining efforts to tackle obesity. This is happening because companies are taking advantage of poor regulation at the national level. We feel it is time that manufacturers are held to account for their actions in developing regions and that's why we're calling on governments in Asia Pacific to support the recommendations of our international code." * International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. 2006; 1: 11_/25 (2006) ** UK Food Standards Agency, January 2007 Note to Editors About CI Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global campaigning voice for consumers. With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere. For more information, visit www.consumersinternational.org The report The Junk Food Trap: Marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific can be downloaded as a pdf document here: http://siteframework.live.poptech.coop/Shared_ASP_Files/UploadedFiles/consint/340676D2-1DB3-4E14-A1FB984E32143E74_TheJunkFoodTrapwebversion.pdf The CI Code In March 2008, Consumers International launched Recommendations for an International Code on Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children to tackle irresponsible promotions of unhealthy foods. The Code targets the marketing of energy dense, nutrient-poor foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt to children up to 16 years old. Its demands include: * A ban on radio or TV adverts promoting unhealthy food between 06.00 and 21.00 * No marketing of unhealthy food using new media (such as websites, social networking sites and text messaging) * No promotion of unhealthy food in schools * No inclusion of free gifts, toys or collectible items which appeal to children to promote unhealthy foods * No use of celebrities, cartoon characters, competitions or free gifts to market unhealthy food. The full Code can be downloaded as a pdf: http://consint.live.poptech.coop/shared_asp_files/GFSR.asp?NodeID=97478>, or from www.junkfoodgeneration.org |
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