Cereal Offences - Consumers International

Marketing tactics
Manufacturers have many opportunities to promote their
products to children and to parents and carers.
The packaging and nature of the product itself are used
by manufacturers to attract children by using a wide
range of psychological and emotive techniques, including
cartoon characters, familiar images (eg from films),
competitions, gifts in the pack, gifts and purchases from
on-pack coupons, memberships of clubs, offers of cellphone
ringtones, jokes, games, and various inducements
to visit the manufacturer’s websites.
This study also looked at the advertising of breakfast
cereals on television channels during programmes that
are likely to be viewed by children.
Labelling and packaging
On-pack promotion of cereals
sold to children
This study found a wide variety of techniques being used
on and in the cereal products examined, including many
which were highly attractive to children.
Examples of methods used to make products
attractive to children
Besides using significant levels of sugar and salt to boost
the flavour of breakfast cereals, companies use a large
number of other devices to make the product appealing
to children.
Fantasy characters from TV cartoon shows
Kellogg’s Cocoa Frosties with Garfield characters as
sold in Malaysia
Nestlé Cookie Crisp with Pink Panther characters as
sold in Malaysia
18 Marketing tactics