Marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific - Consumers ...

Marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific

About Consumers International (CI)Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global campaigning voice for consumers. With over220 member organisations in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer movementto help protect and empower consumers everywhere.Consumers International is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee in the UK (company number4337856) and a registered charity (number 1122155).For more information, visit www.consumersinternational.orgThis report was compiled by CI’s Kuala Lumpur Office and is part of Junk Food Generation – the campaignto stop the marketing of unhealthy food to children.For more information, visit: www.junkfoodgeneration.orgThe Junk Food TrapMarketing unhealthy food to children in Asia PacificISBN 978-0-9560297-0-6Published by Consumers International in September 2008©Consumers International24 Highbury CrescentLondon N5 1RX, UKemail: consint@consint.orgwww.consumersinternational.org

Marketing unhealthy food to children in Asia Pacific

CreditsThe report was written by Emily Robinson with the assistance of Arlene De Vera and Johanna Witt at ConsumersInternational (CI).Key reviewers of the report included Sue Davies, Chief Policy Adviser for Which? (UK), Justin Macmullan, IndraniThuraisingham, Luke Upchurch and Rosalchen Whitecross at CI.We would like to thank the following CI members who carried out the research in their countries with special mentionto those who led the work, namely: Patricia Clare of the Consumer Council of Fiji, Winnie Cheung of the Hong KongConsumer Council, Nirmala Desikan of the Consumers Association of India, Pritee Shah of the Consumer Educationand Research Society (CERC), Pridy Soekarto of the Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen Indonesia (YLKI), Cheah Chee-Ho ofthe Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA), Sunil Manandhar of SEWA Nepal, Jennifer del Rosario-Malonzo of the Ibon Foundation, and Sasiwan Parinyart of the Foundation for Consumers.Design and typesetting: Andrea Carter

ContentsExecutive summary ____________________________________________7Call for action__________________________________________________9Introduction - The food trap__________________________________10Evidence for action ____________________________________________13Key findings from this research ______________________________13What we have discovered __________________________________14Coca-Cola ______________________________________________14Kellogg’s ______________________________________________16KFC (Yum brands) ______________________________________17McDonald’s ____________________________________________19Nestlé __________________________________________________21PepsiCo ________________________________________________23Overview of government policies ______________________________25Fiji ____________________________________________________25Hong Kong ____________________________________________25India __________________________________________________25Indonesia ______________________________________________26Malaysia________________________________________________26Nepal __________________________________________________27Philippines______________________________________________27Thailand________________________________________________27Conclusions and recommendations____________________________28Appendix: About the report____________________________________30Our research ______________________________________________30Research methodology______________________________________30Endnotes ____________________________________________________32

Executive summaryThe World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that2.3 billion people, almost one third of the globalpopulation, will be overweight by 2015. While everycontinent has to face up to the health consequences andeconomic repercussions of this preventable catastrophe,Asia is arguably facing the greatest challenge.Overweight and obesity rates are rising faster in SouthEast Asia than anywhere else in the world. With apredicted 27.5% rise in overweight children in the regionbetween 2005 and 2010 1 , every contributing factorneeds to be urgently addressed. This report comes at ahighly significant time.While personal responsibility for maintaining a healthyand active lifestyle is important, governments and theconsumer industries must also be held to account for thesignificant role they need to play. None more so than intheir duty to young people.As other eminent studies have shown, an overweight orobese child is far more susceptible to be obese and sufferfrom related health issues later in life. Action now canprevent immense costs in the future - for individuals andsociety as a whole.However, as this study will demonstrate, the pervasivemarketing of unhealthy food to children by the world’sleading food and soft drink manufacturers threatens toundermine efforts to tackle obesity. From highlysophisticated Internet promotions, to the direct appeal ofcelebrity and cartoon character endorsements; globalbrands are influencing the food preferences of pre-teenand teenage consumers and undermining any positivemessages that young people are receiving about healthylifestyles.As detailed in this report, the scale and reach of thismarketing effort is astonishing. In Malaysia, for instance,KFC’s Chicky Club (a promotion tool for the fast foodchain’s kids meal) is now the biggest kids club in thecountry.Equally, the levels of unhealthy ingredients in popularproducts in the region should not be underestimated.According to the standard used in this report, sugar levelsare considered to be high if there is 15g per 100g, yet insome countries we found Kellogg’s Frostie’s thatcontained over 40g per 100g. Nestlé’s MILO Energy Barcontains over 25g of saturated fat per 100g, yet anythingover 5g is considered to be a high level.This report shows that, to date, the response fromgovernments and companies in this region falls far shortof what many believe is needed. Malaysia and Thailandwere found to have the strongest regulation in theregion, however there are still plenty of worryingexamples of marketing to be found in these countries.Other countries have even further to go, with a completeabsence of on-package nutritional information in India,to near non-existent laws in Nepal.This problem, and the fight against it, is a global one.Consumers International (CI), our national memberorganisations and our allies in the health sector havebeen leading the call for a global ban on the marketingof unhealthy food to children through the WHO. Whilesome global food and soft drink companies have madelimited national, regional and international ‘pledges’ tocurtail their marketing, many are half-hearted,inconsistent efforts to deflect the real commitmentsneeded globally, across the entire sector.It is time for governments and industry to accept theargument that a global standard for the regulation offood marketing to children would give companies clarityand consistency, as well as the best possible incentive todevelop healthy products for children.Executive summary7

We believe that the substantial body of evidencecompiled for this report shows the need for a globalframework for restricting the marketing of unhealthyfood and drink to children and ensuring the promotion ofhealthier choices. Only then can the positive actionsstarting to be made by companies and governments inthe rich world be developed and implemented in otherregions that are just as susceptible to the mountingthreat of obesity.8 The Junk Food Trap

Call for actionIn March 2008, CI and the International Obesity Taskforce(IOTF) launched Recommendations for an InternationalCode on Marketing of Foods and Non-AlcoholicBeverages to Children 2 .There is a wide disparity between countries in theirapproach to the marketing of food to children. Somehave limited restrictions on advertising unhealthy food tochildren, whilst others have no statutory protection onany form of advertising at all. The food and drinkindustries’ own codes also vary in terms of the countriescovered, the definition of a child and the types ofmarketing included.CI is campaigning for a WHO Code, which will addressthis problem by agreeing on international standards to beimplemented by national governments and foodcompanies.The CI/IOTF Code targets the marketing of energy dense,nutrient poor foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt tochildren up to 16 years old. Its demands include:• A ban on radio or TV adverts promoting unhealthyfood between 06.00 and 21.00.• No marketing of unhealthy food to children using newmedia (such as websites, social networking sites andtext 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, competitionsor free gifts to market unhealthy food.Consumers International and the InternationalObesity Task Force released their recommendationsfor an international code in March 2008You can download a copy of the Code and sign up insupport at www.junkfoodgeneration.org.Call for action9

INTRODUCTIONThe food trapThe obesity pandemicOverweight and obesity in children is not a phenomenaconfined to developed nations such as the US, UK andAustralia. The numbers of overweight and obese adultsand children are rising quickly in Asia Pacific and many ofthese developing countries are ill equipped to deal withthe burden of diet-related diseases.For some time, the primary problem for low and middleincomecountries has been one of under-nutrition andthe struggle for people to eat regular and nutritiousmeals. Obesity was thought of as an issue only for richcountries. Now developing countries, especially thosewith rising incomes and a growing middle class in urbanareas, are facing the “double burden” of disease. Undernutritionremains a challenge, but it exists alongsidegrowing obesity levels.According to the WHO, heart disease and stroke arealready the world’s number one cause of death and it isprojected that deaths from diabetes will increase by morethan 50% in the next 10 years 3 . The WHO has estimatedthat noncommunicable diseases cause around 60% ofdeaths a year and the majority of these deaths occur inlow and middle-income countries 4 .Unhealthy diets are one of the major risk factors fordeveloping these diseases. Each year at least 2.6 millionpeople die as a result of being overweight or obese.If a child is obese, he or she is much more likely to sufferdisability, illness and premature death as an adult.Experts estimate that 1 in 10 school age children areclinically overweight or obese, which is a total of 155million around the world. A further 22 million childrenunder 5 years old are overweight 5 .Overweight in Asia 2005 and 2010Percentage of population706050403020overweight 2005 menoverweight 2010 menoverweight 2005 womenoverweight 2010 women100India Malaysia Philippines Vietnam Fiji China Thailand NepalSource: Figures from the WHO Global InfoBase10 The Junk Food Trap

In Asia Pacific, childhood overweight and obesity ratesare rising faster than anywhere else in the world. In SouthEast Asia, between 2005 and 2010 overweight andobesity levels for the school-aged population is expectedto rise by 27.5%. In Western Pacific the figure is 23.5% 6 .The WHO has estimated that noncommunicablediseases cause around 60%of deaths a year and the majorityof these deaths occur in low andmiddle-income countriesThe role of food marketingMany factors contribute to the risk of developing obesity.One that has been identified is the way that unhealthyfood or products that are energy dense and nutrient poorare marketed to children.In 2006, the WHO’s Technical Meeting on Marketing ofFood and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children concludedthat exposure to the promotion of energy dense, nutrientpoor foods and beverages can adversely affect children’seating habits. They advised that robust science andresearch shows that there is extensive food and beveragepromotion to children; children are aware of, appreciativeof, and engage with this promotion. They also found thatthe marketing is overwhelmingly for energy-dense,micronutrient-poor foods, which underminesrecommendations for a healthy diet.Professor Gerard Hastings in his review of the evidence 7for the WHO concluded that children in developingcountries may be more vulnerable to advertising ofunhealthy food because:• They are less familiar with advertising in general.• They are a key entry point for companies as they aremore responsive than their parents.• They may associate Western multinational companybrands with a desirable modern lifestyle.The Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health,which was agreed at the World Health Assembly (WHA)in May 2004 8 , recognises that in order to create anenvironment that enables a healthier diet and morephysical activity, a number of factors must be tackledsimultaneously. One of the issues identified is foodmarketing, which includes advertising, sponsorship andpromotion. Since the adoption of the Global Strategy, theevidence for action on food marketing to children hasstrengthened further.Multinational companies have beenable to exploit the lack of controls andregulations on marketing andadvertising in developing countriesOverall the WHO concluded that advertising has anadverse effect on children’s understanding of foodknowledge, attitude, purchase behaviour andconsumption.Multinational companies have been able to exploit thelack of controls and regulations on marketing andadvertising in developing countries and have been usinga range of techniques to promote foods, which are highin fat, sugar and salt to children. The CI/IOTF Codedefines ‘children’ as younger than 16 years old.Fast food in FijiThe food trap11

When is a product ‘high in fat, sugar or salt?We are seeking only to restrict the promotion of'unhealthy' food to children. This means products thatare high in fat, sugar or salt. As a benchmark we usedthe UK’s Food Standards Agency’s criteria for its trafficlabelling scheme to define what is ‘high’.Many of the products included in this reportcontain very high levels of fat, sugar and salt.For example, Fanta made by Coca-Colacontains 15.2g of sugar per 100ml – that’s10.2 teaspoons of sugar.Junk Food Generation, a CI report published in 2004,established through a multi-country survey of parents andchildren 9 that the marketing of unhealthy food tochildren in Asia was widespread. The report highlightedthe concern of consumer organisations in the region thatthere are insufficient regulations in place to protectyoung and vulnerable consumers from the effects ofadvertising.This report considers the current state of marketing ofunhealthy food and drink to children in the region.UK Food Standards Agency Criteria (per 100g/100ml) (Published January 2007)Low Medium HighFat (per 100g) 3g and below Between 3g and 20g Over 20gFat (per 100ml) 1.5g and below Between 1.5g and 10g Over 10gSaturates (per 100g) 1.5g and below Between 1.5g and 5g Over 5gSaturates (per 100ml) 0.75g and below Between 0.75g and 2.5g Over 2.5gTotal sugars (per 100g) 5g and below Between 5g and 15g Over 15gTotal sugars (per 100ml) 2.5g and below Between 2.5g and 7.5g Over 7.5gSalt (per 100g or 100ml) 0.3g and below Between 0.3g and 1.5g Over 1.5g12 The Junk Food Trap

Evidence for actionKey findings from this researchOur evidence-based research, carried out with CI memberorganisations in Asia Pacific, looked at marketing by thefollowing multinational food and drink companiesbetween April and June 2008:• Coca-Cola• Kellogg’s• KFC• McDonald’s• Nestlé, and• PepsiCo.We found:• The six companies featured in this report offered anumber of globally recognised food products tochildren below 16 years old that are unhealthy basedon the UK Food Standards Agency criteria for what ishigh in fat, sugar and/or salt.• These same multinational companies are heavilymarketing their unhealthy food products to childrenbelow 16 years old.The techniques that these six multinational companiesused to market their products to children include some ofthe following:• sponsorship of children’s sporting activities in schools• television advertising• interactive websites• sports-themed contests and competitions• discounts and money-off vouchers for other products• use of cartoon characters• on-pack games and promotions• movie tie-ins• children’s clubs• free toys• children’s meals• celebrity endorsements• children’s parties• posters• language teaching• sponsorship of children’s TV programmes.Particularly concerning techniques highlighted in ourresearch include:• Sports-themed competitions and sponsorship inschools – Companies are deliberately associating theirbrands and unhealthy products with sports activities,both in terms of sponsoring sports-themedcompetitions where sports-related prizes can be wonand in sponsoring schools’ sports events. This can givecontradictory messages to children about whatconstitutes healthy lifestyles. ‘Energy’ products add tothis confusion, such as MILO, which is marketed asproviding energy plus vitamins and minerals and yet ishigh in fat and sugar.• Marketing in schools – Examples were found wheremultinational companies are marketing their productsto children in schools, either through promotionalgimmicks that offered students the chance to wingadgets such as mobile phones or through organisedgames and activities with the special participation ofcompany mascots. These examples involved directpromotion to children of unhealthy products, which arehigh in fat, sugar and/or salt.Evidence for action13

• Interactive websites – There is evidence to showincreasing use of the Internet by multinationalcompanies in Asia Pacific to promote unhealthyproducts. (This is of particular concern because it is anarea where parents often find it difficult to regulatewhat their children are viewing). These websites areoften related to online children’s clubs. Increasedconsumption is encouraged, for example, throughpromotions or placing codes on packaging that can beused to collect free gifts.• Cartoons and celebrities – Companies are using arange of tried and tested traditional marketingtechniques like cartoon characters (both brand ownedand licensed) and celebrities to appeal to children. InAsia Pacific companies use national celebrities andcartoon characters, as well as global stars or characters.Children in poorer countries may be more vulnerable toappeals from those characters that suggest a Westernlifestyle.The need for an international codeThe evidence contained in this report shows thatcompanies across the region are using marketingtechniques to promote unhealthy food to children.However, there is little consistency in terms of theinformation they provide to consumers with companiesproviding basic nutritional advice in some countries, butnot in others.Companies are also attracting attention for making newcommitments in the US and the EU, whilst not evenresponding to enquiries from consumer organisations inthe Asia Pacific region.National governments, aware of the growth of obesityrelateddiseases are, in some countries, beginning to takeaction. However, to date, the responses are inadequate.CI believes that the WHO has a responsibility to showleadership in this area and produce policies that can beeasily and swiftly implemented by national governments,as well as providing a benchmark for responsible foodindustry practice.What we have discoveredThe six multinational companies, their policies andmarketing techniques promoting unhealthy foodsto kidsCoca-ColaInformation gathered in Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines and ThailandWhat’s in the products?Classic Coca-Cola is high in sugar (between10g and 11g per 100 ml bottle which isequivalent to almost 9 teaspoons of sugar).Fanta is even higher in sugar (between 11.7gand 15.2g per 100ml bottle.)These results focus on classic Coca-Cola and Fanta, whichare globally recognised brands.Policy on marketing to children and tacklingobesity/nutritionCI members in Fiji, Hong Kong, Nepal, Philippines andThailand did not receive responses to requests forinformation on policies relating to marketing to childrenand obesity from Coca-Cola.GlobalIn May 2008, the International Council of BeveragesAssociations announced a set of Guidelines on Marketingto Children, which Coca-Cola (as a member) have signedup to and endorsed. This means that with the exceptionof water, fruit juices and dairy-based drinks, Coca-Colawill not advertise its beverages where children under 12years old make up over 50% of the audience in mediaincluding TV, radio, print or digital media or cinema(including product placement). These are globalguidelines and cover all countries where Coca-Cola ismarketed. Other marketing practices involving childrenunder 12, such as the use of licensed characters,sponsorship and communications in schools will bereviewed by the end of 2009.ThailandAlthough this announcement was not provided directly tothe CI member in Thailand, in May 2008, Coca-Cola,Kellogg’s, Nestlé and PepsiCo were among a group ofcompanies to announce a “Thai pledge” 10 . Under this actof self-regulation, these companies will stopadvertisements of food and beverages to children under12 years old by the end of 2008. They would also stopcommercial activities in schools unless invited for thepurpose of disseminating educational information, whichleaves them a window of opportunity to continuemarketing their products. The pledge was not wellpublicised in the local press.14 The Junk Food Trap

IndiaCoca-Cola in India informed CERC (Consumer Educationand Research Society) that the company “markets itsproducts responsibly and does not market soft drinks tochildren under the age of 12.” They added that for morethan 50 years they have had a policy not to advertise“sparkling” soft drinks on TV programmes that targetchildren under 12. At the same time, they indicated intheir response that they respect classrooms as a“commercial-free zone” and their support to schools islimited to activities that promote physical activity,academic achievement and education about balancednutrition and healthy habits.In terms of obesity, Coca-Cola pointed out that “No foodor beverage is responsible for obesity. Obesity is acomplex problem that has no easy answers and we allneed to work together to find workable solutions to thiscomplex problem.” As part of their role in addressingobesity they listed the following as their concrete actions:• Providing variety in the broad portfolio of our beverageproducts.• Supporting healthy and active lifestyles for all people,especially our young people through youthdevelopment and education programmes.• Respecting the rights of parents, teachers and schoolofficials to make choices for children.• Working with representatives of government, NGOsand the public health community to ensure that thediscussion about obesity remains grounded in fact andscientific evidence.• Continuing to work together with all stakeholders.MalaysiaF&N Coca-Cola in Malaysia responded to FOMCA, the CImember in Malaysia, saying that in general Coca-Coladoes not specifically aim products at children althoughthey recognise that children do consume their productsunder parental supervision. F&N stands for Fraser &Neave, the last names of the business partners thatestablished the company, which holds the Coca-Colabottling franchise for Singapore and Malaysia.In terms of marketing to children, F&N Coca-Colaprovides nutritional information on packaging andrespects school policies on beverages. It has an ActiveLifestyle programme with which they work through100Plus, an isotonic drink, with the Ministry of Educationto promote sport in schools.Marketing tactics we discoveredSponsorship of children’s sports activitiesin schoolsCoca-Cola has been the main sponsor of the Coke Gamesin Fiji for the last 25 years. This is an athletics competitionfor 120 secondary schools in Fiji. There is, we say, widespreadbranding of the event using the high sugar ‘classic’Coca-Cola brand. This can give children contradictorymessages about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle.Television advertisingCoca-Cola regularly advertises on mainstream televisionmedia channels in Hong Kong. During the monitoringperiod, Coca-Cola adverts were found for 2008 Olympicsrelatedfood product promotions at times children arewatching TV, such as Sunday early afternoons.Coca-Cola uses celebrities, such as the Bollywood actorHrithik Roshan, in TV advertising in India and Nepal.Hrithik Roshan is a young male star who is very popularwith teenagers. In the commercial shown in Nepal,Hrithik was featured saying “Party starts and ends withCoke!” Coke promotions and advertisements in Nepalare mostly developed in India.In Thailand, Coca-Cola uses cartoon characters in TVadvertising that appeals to children. In the latestcommercial for Fanta, a young female cartoon characterwas shown as a cool and able musician because shedrinks Fanta. In contrast, young male cartoon charactersstruggled to play music in spite of trying so hard;apparently because they were not drinking Fanta.With regards to obesity, F&N Coca-Cola “believes inoffering choices and we provide a wide variety ofbeverages (including many low calorie and no-calorieoptions) as well as portion sizes to meet consumers needsfor fun, refreshment, nutrition and hydration for alllifestyles”.Fanta TV advert in ThailandEvidence for action15

Interactive websitesCoca-Cola has an interactive website, www.iCoke.hk,with a membership programme, Internet games, a blog,a chat room and forums. Advertising information andproduct logos are embedded in the website.Kellogg’sInformation gathered in Hong Kong, India, and ThailandWhat’s in the products?Many Kellogg’s cereals marketed to childrenare very high in sugar, including Coco Pops(38.7g per 100g) and Frosties (sugar levelsvaried between 28.3g and 41.7g per 100g).Web shot of Coca-Cola Hong Kong websiteSports-themed competitionsIn Malaysia, Coca-Cola and Sprite brands were promotinga lucky draw offering a grand prize of two tickets towatch the EURO 2008 final in Europe and other prizesincluding a 32-inch LCD TV, sports bags and footballshirts. Children aged 12 years old and above were eligibleto enter the competition.Discounts and money off vouchers for otherproductsIn Indonesia, Coca-Cola has been running a promotionwhere if you buy a 1.5 litre bottle of high sugar Fanta youwill receive a voucher offering a discount at GramediaBookstore. Gramedia is a newly-refurbished bookstoreclaiming to be the largest bookstore in South East Asiaand showcases a wide collection of children’s books.In India, the amount of sugar contained inpackets of Fruit Loops, Choco Toffee andFrosties is not listed on the packaging.Policy on marketing to children and tacklingobesity/nutritionResponses to requests for information on policies relatingto marketing to children and obesity and nutrition were notreceived from Kellogg’s by CI members in India or Thailand.GlobalIn June 2007, Kellogg’s announced changes to itsWorldwide Marketing Guidelines. This now means foodsthat do not meet its own Nutrient Criteria will not beadvertised on TV, radio or third party websites where50% or more of the audience are children under 12 yearsold. It will also not use third party licensed characters,product placements or schools settings to advertise theseproducts to children under 12 years old. It also states thatno products are marketed to children under 6 years old.Hong KongKellogg’s provided a lengthy response covering obesity,nutrition and the marketing of food to children to theHong Kong Consumer Council. This reiteratedinformation contained in the global announcement inJune 2007 described above.Fanta voucher in IndonesiaPostersCoca-Cola uses this poster advertisement for Fanta inThailand. The poster features a teenager on a skateboardso that it would appeal to children under 16 years old.Poster of Fanta advert in IndonesiaMarketing tactics we discoveredUse of cartoon charactersKellogg’s repeatedly use their own brand cartooncharacters such as Tony the Tiger and Coco the Monkeyto market their high sugar products to children. This wasa common feature in all the CI member countries thatprovided examples of marketing to children by Kellogg’s.In Thailand, Kellogg’s use both own brand and licensedcartoon characters, such as Garfield to promote breakfastcereals.16 The Junk Food Trap

Policy on marketing to children and tacklingobesity/nutritionMalaysiaKFC Holdings Malaysia “believe(s) that healthy eating is alifestyle choice and that any food properly consumed inmoderation can be a part of a balanced diet. We do notand never have advocated uncontrolled consumption offood. We have also taken steps to help our customersmake educated choices when it comes to choosing theirmeals, including helping them become aware about theimportance of a balanced diet and good nutrition.”As for policies on marketing of food to children, KFCstates that, “we comply (with) all the guidelines set bythe Ministry of Health in collaboration with theAssociation of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysiapertaining to advertisements for children”. Approved inJune 2007, the guidelines ban the sponsorship by fastfood industries of children’s TV programmes and fastfood advertisements during children’s TV programmes.With respect to nutritional labelling, KFC has developednutritional content fact sheets of their products asrequired by the recent national fast food regulations.Responses to requests for information on policies relatingto marketing to children and obesity and nutrition were notreceived from KFC for the CI member in the Philippines.KFC Chicky Club kids meal and giveaways in MalaysiaChildren’s meal with free toys and movie tie-insIn Malaysia, each of KFC’s Chicky Meals comes with a toywith the type and design of the toys varying inaccordance to KFC’s current marketing tie-ins withmovies, cartoon characters, or popular toy figures. The X-Meal for teens often comes with collectible merchandise,such as key chains.In the Philippines KFC has used film tie-ins such asSuperman, Spiderman, and Scooby Doo to market itsmeals. These film icons appear on packaging, tumblers,or as toys.KFC also offers toys such as Wall Smasher, Floor Racer,Image Spinner, and Beam Bender; and innovativeproducts such as Colonel Sanders Figurine and CartoonNetwork CDs.Marketing tactics we discoveredChildren’s clubsThe Chicky Club created by KFC is the largest kids’ clubin Malaysia (acknowledged by the Malaysian Book ofRecords). Chicky Club members are entitled to specialoffers from KFC, such as meal discounts, specialcollectible toys/merchandise, and birthday eventcelebrations. Members also have access to a variety ofdiscounts at KFC’s marketing partners, which include toystores, children’s apparel, theme parks, music classes, andcinemas. Membership of the club is open to children upto 12 years old.Chicky Club ‘Speed Racer’ movie giveaways in MalaysiaInteractive websitesKFC’s website in Malaysia www.kfc.com.my has acolourful section exclusively for children. Featuring themain character Chicky and his friends (Chippy, Adora,Slyde, Wanda, and Ace), the website offers a variety ofonline activities. Visitors to the website can play onlinegames and view updates on KFC’s latest offers andprogrammes for kids.KFC Chicky Club promotion in MalaysiaChicky Club online game from Malaysia18 The Junk Food Trap

In school marketingKFC in Malaysia also has a programme called “Chicky goesto School”, whereby children and teachers are encouragedto invite Chicky and his friends over to their schools toorganise games and activities. KFC also organises theChicky Carnival, a theme-based annual event featuringcontests, musical shows, games, and rides.TV advertisingIn the Philippines, KFC’s TV commercials focus heavily onfamily images of people eating together to advertise KFCmeals including the Bucket Meal, Fully Loaded Meal andthe Kid’s Meal. Meanwhile, teenagers in the advertsendorse Funshots and Snackables.McDonald's Happy Meal in MalaysiaMcDonald’s Happy Meal menu from Hong KongKFC Chicky goes to school online promotion in MalaysiaMcDonald’sInformation gathered in Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia,Philippines and ThailandWhat’s in the products?The McDonald’s Happy Meal for children has avariety of combinations, which vary fromcountry to country. However, in most countries,this consists of a burger, fries and a soft drink.In Hong Kong, a Happy Meal can combineSausage McMuffin (19g of fat), Hash Browns (9gof fat) and a small soft drink, such as Coke. Theinformation on saturated fat is not available inHong Kong. In Malaysia, Happy Meals come witha small portion of fries (10.3g of fat and 0.3g ofsalt).It was not clear from the information providedwhether the measurements were per 100g orper portion.In some countries, such as the Philippines, nonutritional information was provided in therestaurant or on request.Policy on marketing to children and tacklingobesity/nutritionCI members in Fiji, Philippines, and India did not receiveresponses to requests for information on policies relatingto marketing to children from McDonald’s.MalaysiaMcDonald’s is “committed to being part of the solutionby reinforcing the importance of energy balance – thefood you eat and the activity you do. McDonald’sBalance, Active Lifestyles programme is built on threestrategic pillars – increasing menu choice, promotingphysical activity and continuing to provide accessiblenutrition information.”On nutrition they ”offer a wide variety of high qualityfreshly prepared food choices, a varied menu and rangeof serving sizes to provide items that fit into a balanceddiet. We also offer a range of meal combinations that fallwithin recommended guidelines for calories, fat andother nutrients.”McDonald’s have indicated in their response to FOMCAthat starting June 2008 product packaging will featurenutritional information. FOMCA reported thatMcDonald’s is now providing nutritional information ontheir paper-tray mats to cover fat, sugar and salt, andbooklets listing the nutritional information of all theirEvidence for action19

products, are also available in their outlets. McDonald’sMalaysia also shared that they have not advertised on TVto children since July 2007.Hong KongMcDonald’s has adopted the following principles to:• Communicate to children balanced food choices thatfit within a child’s nutritional needs.• Use licensed characters and properties to encourageactivity and balanced food choices for children to makefood, such as fruit and vegetables, fun to eat.• Promote to children positive messages that supporttheir well-being, body, mind and spirit.• Provide the nutritional information of food to helpparents and families make informed food choices.More specific information from McDonald’s includeschanges to the Happy Meal menus, such as adding thefollowing items to the menu, including Qoo White GrapeJuice Drink, Qoo Soya Milk, Hi-Calcium Mango FruitYogurt and Hi-Calcium Low fat Milk.Leaflets containing product nutritional information areavailable at McDonald’s stores. The information is alsoprinted on the company’s tray mat and posted on thecompany website. However, some of this informationsuch as the tray mat is only available after the purchasehas been made.Marketing tactics we discoveredChildren’s meal with free toyIn all countries that provided information on McDonald’s,the “Happy Meal” menu offers food aimed specifically atchildren and a free collectible toy. It includes less healthyoptions. There is usually a number of different toys tocollect within a set range which lasts for a certain periodof time before changing to a different range. During theresearch period, Happy Meals included Power Puff Girls,Naruto and Angel Blue collectible toys. Created byJapanese designer Narumiya, the Angel Blue line ofclothes features cartoon-like characters in pastel coloursthat are popular with young girls and teenagers. Narutois a Japanese manga series with an anime adaptation.The main character, Naruto Uzumaki, is a hyperactive,unpredictable, adolescent ninja who constantly searchesfor recognition and aspires to become a Hokage, theninja in his village that is acknowledged as the leader andthe strongest of all.Children’s clubsIn Malaysia, McDonald’s mascot, Ronald McDonald has achildren’s club called the “Ronald McDonald Kids’ Club”.By joining the club, members are eligible for discountsand privileges from McDonald’s and their partners, whichrange from theme parks to kids’ gym memberships.Members can also participate in fun activities and eventsorganised by McDonald’s plus a free quarterly newslettercalled “Red Shoe News”. In its latest promotion for theKung Fu Panda movie, McDonald’s is offering its clubmembers a chance to redeem two free movie tickets bycompleting a redemption form complete with a HappyMeal receipt.McDonald's "Kung Fu Panda" movie tie-ins in MalaysiaCelebrity endorsementsMcDonald’s have used popular celebrities in thePhilippines, like Sharon Cuneta and her daughters plusworld-boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and his twosons to endorse some of their products. Also Kris Aquino,presenter of the popular TV show “Deal or No Deal”, dida commercial spoof of the show called “meal or nomeal”. All these celebrities are well known and idolisedas role models for children.Another McDonald’s celebrity endorsement features apopular young actress Angel Locsin, who endorsedMcDonald’s summer ice cream treats in the “SummerColours of Love” promotion. She is particularly popularwith children after starring in a number of super heroroles such as Darna (Wonderwoman) and Mulawin(Winged Humanoids).TV advertisingIn Hong Kong, McDonald’s advertise their Happy Mealson mainstream television channels during weekdayafternoons (after school hours) and weekend morningsand afternoons. Usually the advertisements are aboutchildren playing with the Happy Meal toys, particularlythe Naruto and Angel Blue collectibles.McDonald’s was also found to advertise its products onchildren’s channels in India and Thailand.20 The Junk Food Trap

Sports-themed competitionsIn conjunction with the 2008 Beijing Olympics,McDonald’s is currently running the “McDonald’sChampion Kids Challenge” for children below the age of14 in many parts of Asia, such as in Thailand and inMalaysia. Contestants compete in the challenge andthree winners will be selected to represent their countryat the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.Sponsorship of children’s sporting activitiesin schoolsMcDonald’s Malaysia has a programme for youngchildren called “Fitness Fun” with Ronald McDonald,which is aimed to encourage young Malaysian children tolive a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Ronald McDonald isthe central character in the programme, teaching childrenabout good nutrition and fitness. The "Fitness Fun" showis performed free for lower primary schools andkindergarten premises. Those intending to have Ronaldvisiting them at their schools have to make reservationswith McDonald’s on a first-come first-served basis.McDonald's "Fitness Fun" promotion in MalaysiaMcDonald’s Champion Kids Challenge inThailandInteractive websitesMcDonald’s has interactive websites in the countriescovered by this research. Malaysia’s website has a link tothe Happy Meal website at www.happymeal.com whichis highly interactive, providing children with various kindsof activities, information, and updates on their latestnews. Children can play online games, mind puzzles, andalso get sport tips. There are also colourful guides thatteach children to create origami artworks, build 3D cars,design badges and even mix music.McDonald’s website in India features a fun zone link,http://www.McDonald’sindia.com/funzone/, which allowschildren to play games and download wallpapers andscreen savers.Nestle´Information gathered in Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia,Philippines and ThailandWhat’s in the products?Many of Nestlé’s breakfast cereals that areaimed at children are high in sugar, includingKoko Krunch (37.9g of sugar per 100g) andHoney Stars (37.4g of sugar per 100g).Nestlé also produce the MILO range, aimed atchildren, which includes the MILO Energy Bar,which is high in saturated fat and in sugar(25.3g saturated fat per 100g and 50,4g sugarper 100g). The MILO chocolate drink contains22.5g of sugar per 100g.McDonald’s ‘American Idol’ tie-in from MalaysiaPolicy on marketing to children and tacklingobesity/nutritionNestlé was comprehensive in its replies to all CI memberswith the exception of Fiji. A summary of all responses isprovided below.Evidence for action21

GlobalNestlé says it does not advertise or market directly tochildren under 6 years old. Advertising for children from6 to 12 is to be restricted to products with a nutritionalprofile, which helps children achieve a healthy balanceddiet including clear limits for such ingredients as sugar,salt and fat.cartoon characters such as brand-owned characters“Koko” and “Captain Stars” or licensed characters like“Batman Dark Night Figures” on their packaging and intheir advertising.In July 2007, Nestlé adopted global principles onmarketing to children under 12 years old, which mean:• Food products advertising to children must beappropriate for the specific age range portrayed in theadvertisement.• Advertising should not mislead about potential benefitsfrom the use of the product.• Communication must not undermine the authority ofparents.• Advertising directed to children should not create asense of urgency.• Advertising should not portray or encourage behaviourintended to shock or create anxiety in childrenincluding use of violence of sexual innuendo.• Fantasy, including animation should not create difficultyin distinguishing between the real and the imaginary.• Products developed from or associated withprogramme content primarily directed to childrenshould not be advertised during or adjacent to thatprogramme.• Programme personalities, live or animated should notbe used to sell products, premiums or services adjacentto programmes primarily directed to children in whichthe same personality or character appears. In the sameway, a character or personality associated with theeditorial content of a print publication should not beused to sell products, premiums or services in the samepublication.• Sampling and promotional activities in schools and atevents will be done only with the prior agreement andconsent of the school administration and eventorganisers. It should also comply with applicablelegislation or regulations and should be accompaniedby some kind of educational nutritional messages.Marketing tactics we discoveredUse of cartoons charactersIn all countries, Nestlé markets many of its products tochildren. MILO, Koko Krunch and Honey Stars useNestlé's Koko Krunch character in the PhilippinesInteractive websites and online children’s clubsIn Hong Kong, Nestlé has an online kids club wherechildren can register to become members and playexclusive online games, join exclusive activities and enjoyproduct discounts.Web shot of Nestlé kids website in Hong KongIn Malaysia, Nestlé’s MILO website, www.milo.com.my, isa portal providing access to product promotions, contestsand activities such as the Art Zone, recipes and onlinegames.The Nestlé website for Koko Krunch, www.kokokrunch.com, is also a colourful and interactive website wherevisitors can view adverts for products and learn aboutnew promotions. In the Philippines, the website of KokoKrunch (http://www.kokokrunch.com /ph/index.html) haslinks to their TV ads and a preview of their newestproduct, the Koko Krunch Duo. Jigsaw-puzzle posters,signed postcards, flipbooks, and door hangers areavailable and ready to be printed. There are alsodownloadable screensavers and wallpapers. The websitealso has a game that requires kids to sign up. Prizes canbe exchanged with goodies.22 The Junk Food Trap

TV advertisingIn the Philippines, Nestlé’s TV advertisements for MILOfeature children doing sports (MILO Champions League)and carry celebrity endorsements. The ads claim thatMILO provides children with the energy they need plusvitamins and minerals.Nestlé Koko Krunch website in the PhilippinesFree gifts and toysIn Malaysia, Nestlé ran a promotion that offered a freeKoko Krunch cereal bowl in three designs to include“Koko”, the brand-owned cartoon character, with everypurchase of a standard pack of cereal.In the Philippines, Nestlé gives away free toy items in theform of different body parts with every purchase of itslarge Koko Krunch packs. According to Nestlé, it is a wayof educating children. Also, with its tie-up with LegoKnight Kingdom, Koko Krunch gives free Lego toys thatare designed and patterned from the medieval period. Arecent Koko Krunch promotion also offers variouscollectibles featuring all-time favorite children’scharacters, most recently from the films Star Wars,Finding Nemo, Spiderman, and Narnia.In schools marketingIn the Philippines, in order to appeal to schoolchildren,Nestlé conducted a promotional gimmick called “sCOOLScratch-Cards Promos” that offered students the chanceto win various gadgets, such as mobile phones,gameboys, discmans, and Nestlé branded items, such asKoko Krunch. These promotions were launched by thecompany in hundreds of schools nationwide.Indirect advertising in children’s TV programmesIn Thailand, Nestlé MILO sponsors a game show forchildren, which features branding and product images inthe actual programme.PepsiCoInformation gathered in Fiji, India, Malaysia, Philippinesand ThailandWhat’s in the products?Nestlé Koko Krunch movie tie-in in the PhilippinesSports promotions and competitionsIn Malaysia, Nestlé recently organised the Koko KrunchJunior Taekwondo Championship in 2008 in associationwith their “Grow with Sports” tagline and theme. Theyhave also organised a “hidup bola” football competitionfor children under 16 years old, offering the grand prizeof a five-day trip to Manchester United in the UK,including watching a game and seeing players at theirtraining ground.Language teachingIn Malaysia, Nestlé and the New Straits Times organisedthe “Koko Smart Start Camp” for young children, whichaims to teach children about nutrition, as well asteaching them English. The event took place in a primaryschool hall and Koko Krunch boxes, certificates,workbooks and t-shirts were presented to the children.Although PepsiCo owns a huge range of bothdrink and food brands, due to the disparityacross the region we have focused only onclassic Pepsi and Lays, which are globallyrecognised brands. Classic Pepsi Cola is high insugar (11g per 100ml) and Lays crisps are highin fat (34g per 100g).In India, the sugar content of Pepsi Colais not listed on the packaging.Policy on marketing to children and tacklingobesity/nutritionCI members in Malaysia and in the Philippines did notreceive responses from PepsiCo to requests forinformation on their policies on marketing of food tochildren and tackling obesity. PepsiCo have also signedthe International Council of Beverages AssociationsGuidelines on Marketing to Children (see page 14).Evidence for action23

IndiaA comprehensive response was received by CERC in Indiaand a summary is listed below.“PepsiCo has been responsible in providing consumersrelevant information in making correct and informativechoices; and PepsiCo India food and juice drink portfolioalready contains nutritional information toward helpingthe consumer make those correct choices.PepsiCo India understands the importance of being aresponsible marketer to children. With the exception ofCheetos PepsiCo India does not advertise products tochildren under 12 years. However, advertisement tochildren is done only when the products fulfil specificnutrition criteria based on accepted scientific evidenceand/or applicable national and international dietaryguidelines. Under our policy, “advertising to childrenunder 12 years” means advertising to media audienceswith a minimum of 50% of children under 12 years. Thisself-regulation is voluntary and in place.“In May 2008, the International Council of BeveragesAssociations announced a set of Guidelines on Marketingto Children, which PepsiCo as a member have signed upto and endorsed. This means that with the exception ofwater, fruit juices and dairy-based drinks, PepsiCo will notadvertise its beverages where children under 12 years oldmake up over 50% of the audience in media includingTV, radio, print or digital media or cinema (includingproduct placement).Other marketing practices involving children under 12,such as the use of licensed characters, sponsorship andcommunications in schools will be reviewed in 2009.(such as the American group The Black Eyed Peas andlocal stars such as female singer Yeng Constantino), andoffers games, videos and downloads (wallpaper andphotos), and links to Pepsi websites in other countries.PepsiCo's Lays crisps on-pack promotion witha sport celebrity in IndiaCelebrity endorsementsIn India both classic Pepsi Cola and Lays are advertised onTV using celebrities. Bollywood actors Shahrukh Khan andJohn Abraham have advertised Pepsi, along with theIndian Cricket team. They are considered role models forchildren and Shahrukh Khan is currently anchoring a highlypopular TV quiz show aimed at children in the fifth grade.Saif Ali Khan, another Bollywood actor, advertises Lays onTV. These celebrities are popular with children. Inaddition, young stars such as Deepika Padukone andRanbir Kapoor starred in Pepsi ads showing the image ofa young new India called ‘Youngistan’.The packet of Lays below carries the message “ChalaChange Ka Chakkar (Change your life)”. SportspersonMahinder Singh Dhoni (Indian Cricket Team Captain) isshown and a chance to exchange one’s life with himand/or other film stars, for one day, has been promoted asa prize. Cricket stars are very popular with children in India.Marketing tactics we discoveredInteractive websitesIn the Philippines, PepsiCo uses interactive websites totarget teenagers from 13 years old and over. PepsiCo’sinteractive website (http://www.pepsiworld.com.ph)features its current promotions and music celebritiesPepsiCo-owned Lays crisps with sport celebritytie-in from IndiaIn Asia, PepsiCo also uses famous footballers popularwith children. In Malaysia, Pepsi is promoted with anonline initiative where teenagers from 13 years oldupwards can log in and match their profile to a footballer.PepsiCo website in the PhilippinesPepsiCo website with sport idols in Malaysia24 The Junk Food Trap

Overview ofgovernment policiesAll governments in the countries covered in this reporthave some programmes on labelling, nutrition andobesity. In this section, information is provided ongovernment action in the specific area of marketing offood to children.FijiThe Food Safety Act of 2003, which is yet to be enforced,contains general regulations on advertising. There are nospecific regulations on the marketing of food to children,although the powers are contained within the Act toenable this to happen.Under Food Safety Act (Fiji) 2003:“An advertisement or promotion is deemed to be false,misleading or deceptive, if the advertisement orpromotion–• incites the public to excessive or irresponsibleconsumption of a particular food;• contains exaggerated or substantiated claims;• expresses partial truths or ambiguous claims which maylead to misinterpretation or confusion;• refers to investigations or reports by false or nonexistentauthorities or research centres;• suggests that the consumption or use of the productimproves social prestige or personal status;• claims that the food complies with the specificconditions desired by consumers when it does not;• uses, in whole or in part, a copy of or the result of anyanalysis made for the purposes of this Act without thewritten approval of the board.The board may, by regulations, impose controls on theadvertising and promotion of food so as to maintain andimprove conditions for informed consumer decisionsconcerning food.”Hong KongIn Hong Kong, the Government operates broad codes ofpractice on advertising standards for television and soundbroadcasting, which have some general provisions onadvertising aimed at children.For example, the code stipulates that no product orservice may be advertised and no method of advertisingmay be used which might result in harm to childrenphysically, mentally or morally, and no method ofadvertising may be employed which takes advantage ofnatural credulity and sense of loyalty of children 11 .Nevertheless, there is no particular provision in the codeson advertising of food targeting children.IndiaThe Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is aself-regulatory body set up in1985 on the initiative of theadvertisers themselves. It has a code for self-regulation inadvertising that sets down the do’s and don’ts for theindustry. The objective of this set up was to ensuretruthfulness and honesty in advertising and also toenhance people’s confidence.In December 2007, the Advertising Standard Council ofIndia (ASCI) has laid down certain guidelines with regardto food marketing to children:“Self - Regulation Guidelines on Advertising of Foods &Beverages directed at Children under 13 years of age.Children’s choice of diet (food and beverages) and levelof physical activity, can impact their general health andwell-being. It can have a positive influence byencouraging a healthy, well balanced diet, sound eatinghabits and appropriate physical activity. Caution and caretherefore should be observed in advertising of Foods &Beverages especially ones containing relatively high fat,sugar and salt.Overview of government policies25

• Advertisements should not mislead consumers tobelieve that consumption of product advertised willresult directly in personal changes in intelligence,physical ability or exceptional recognition. Such claimsif made in advertisements should be supported withadequate scientific substantiation. All nutritional andhealth benefit claims in Foods & Beverageadvertisements are required to be substantiatedscientifically.• Unless a food product has been nutritionally designedas a meal replacement, it should not be portrayed assuch.• Messages in advertising to children will portrayaccurately the products, in a way that is in keepingwith their ability to understand.• Advertisements should not show over consumption ofFoods & Beverages. It should reflect moderation inconsumption and portion sizes appropriate to occasionor situation. Advertising of promotional offers on Food& Beverage products should also not show excessiveconsumption• Advertisements should not undermine the role ofparental care and guidance in ensuring proper food •Visual presentation of foods and beverages inadvertisements should not mislead the consumers ofthe material characteristics of the products advertised.”IndonesiaFood advertisements directed at children are regulatedthrough several articles in the Government Regulation No69, 1999 on Food Label and Advertisement that regulatesthem. Article 47 (2) states that advertisements arenot allowed to use children under the age of 5 for anyform of advertisement, unless the food product is specificallyfor children under 5 years old.In addition advertisements on processed foods containingingredients that are high in something that can endangeror disturb the growth of and or development of children isnot allowed to be publicised in any media that is specificallydirected towards children. In elaboration the Regulationstates that this rule is meant to prevent larger distributionof certain processed food that contains high amounts ofmonosodium glutamate, sugar, fat or carbohydrate thatcan endanger or disturb children’s growth or development.Aside from that, Article 50 states advertisements are prohibitedto contain information or statements saying thatfood product contain the best source of energy and caninstantly give strength. However, YLKI (Yayasan LembagaKonsumen Indonesia) are aware of cases where this hasnot been enforced.MalaysiaWith regards to legislation on advertising in general, PartIII, Section 17 of the Food Act 1983 stipulates that foodadvertisements in general shall not deceive and misleadconsumers and violate the provisions under the FoodRegulations 1985.The Ministry of Health has recently initiated a move torestrict TV advertising of fast food to children. In June2007 it was agreed to introduce the followingrestrictions:• Any form of TV broadcast fast food ads (whetherdirect/indirect) are banned from being aired duringchildren TV programmes.• Fast food industries are banned from sponsoring anychildren programmes on TV• Fast food ads cannot portray inaccurate or confusinginformation relating to the nutritional value of theproduct.• Fast food ads cannot encourage over consumption offoods.• Fast food ads cannot portray its product as areplacement for a balanced diet.• Fast food ads cannot refute or challenge the MalaysianDietary Guidelines developed by the Ministry of HealthFollowing the decision, guidelines were developed by theFood Safety and Quality Division, and all fast foodcompanies were given six months to comply with theregulations which came into force on 1 January 2008.“Fast foods” are defined as foods that are prepared inlarge quantities in a standardised method, are quicklyserved, and frequently advertise their products andservices through the electronic and printed media.“Children’s programmes” are defined as programmestargeting children age 4-9 years old, divided intoanimated and non-animated.The Ministry of Health has declared that non-complyingcompanies and violators will be penalised throughadministrative measures and have their names publiclyannounced. TV stations can also be held responsible incase of violations for they are deemed the finalgatekeeper before airing. TV broadcasters will identifyand provide the health department quarterly with a list ofchildren’s programmes, which are barred for fast foodads. For programmes with rating points less than four (4TVR, meaning 4% of the total of children from age 4-926 The Junk Food Trap

are watching the programme at one time), one can stilladvertise as they are viewed as unpopular programmes,which have little/insignificant impact.NepalNepal has no clear policies on food marketing to children.There are, however, general regulations on advertisinggoods and services in the Food Act of 1966 and in theConsumer Protection Act of 1997. However, SEWA Nepalshared that these policies are not being monitored.Under the Food Act of 1966:“Clause 4. Food products can not be sold through misleadingactivities” -No one can sell or distribute any food product by fakeidentity of the product or selling and distributing any lowquality goods claiming it to be of higher quality.Under the Consumer Protection Act of 1997:“Article 10. Actions which must not be take in respect toconsumer good or services: No one shall take or instigateothers to take any of the following actions in respect toany consumer good or service” -• To produce, sell, supply, export or import a substandardconsumer good.• To imitate any consumer good in such a manner as tomislead consumers.• To sell or supply any consumer good or service bymaking false or misleading claim that it is anotherconsumer good or service, or by describing asubstandard consumer good or service as of a highstandard.• To engage in unfair trading practices in such a manneras to make false or misleading publicity oradvertisements relating to the use, usefulness, orefficacy of any consumer good or service.• To produce, sell or supply any consumer good orservice, which is likely to harm consumers’ health.• To take such other actions as are prescribed.PhilippinesThere is no specific government regulation on foodmarketing to children. Dr. Oliveros informed IBON thatthe Ministry of Health in the Philippines is “planning toengage the ADBOARD (Advertising Board of thePhilippines) as to ethical promotions not only of foodproducts but other products as well”. Also, the healthagency is “looking forward to engaging with the foodmanufacturing industry for the regulation of fat, salt andother important food contents in their food products.”The Government of the Philippines highlighted thedifficulty of monitoring and enforcement as a barrier tointroducing regulations on the marketing of food tochildren.Meanwhile, the Department of Education Order No. 8,series of 2007 issued on 6 February 2007 includedprovisions requiring public school canteens to sell onlyhealthy foods. The policy statement under paragraphs4.4 and 4.5 emphasised that only nutrient-rich foodsshall be sold in the school canteen and foods that do notbear the “Sangkap Pinoy” seal or did not pass the BFADapproval are prohibited. The sale of junk food, as well ascarbonated drinks and sugar-based and artificiallyflavoured juices is prohibited.ThailandIn September 2007, the Government of Thailandintroduced measures to control TV advertising duringchildren’s programmes for children between the ages of 3to 12 years old and other programmes with children asthe main target audience:• There must not be more than 12 minutes of advertisingin the period of 1 hour (with 10 minutes of ads for theproduct and 2 minutes of ads promoting healthy eatinghabits).• Advertisements for the same product or ads with thesame content must not be broadcast for more than 4times during the period of 1 hour. And not more than2 times in the period of 30 minutes.• Content of the ads must not involve sales promotion bygames, contests, or giveaways such as toys.• Ads must not contain message encouraging excessiveconsumption. It must not present messages, sound,photos, or pictures, which exaggerate the benefits,speed, size, colour and endurance of the products.• Ads must contain consumption warning according tothe standard set out by the Food and DrugAdministration.• Characters (cartoon/person) well known to children, orcharacters which have appeared in children’sprogrammes such as presenters must not be used topresent or endorse the product.Overview of government policies27

CONCLUSIONS ANDRECOMMENDATIONSConclusionsAdvertising of unhealthy food to children is prevalent inAsia Pacific and is not only an issue for developedcountries. The promotion of food to children in thisregion uses a combination of tried and tested traditionalmarketing approaches, as well as a wide range of thelatest highly sophisticated marketing techniques.Absence of labellingSome serious questions must be asked of themultinational companies featured in this report. Some ofthem chose not to respond to enquiries from consumerorganisations in their own countries, yet they are makingefforts in the US and EU by signing pledges andannouncing commitments to take action. Some CImembers found it difficult to obtain information, not onlyon advertising policies, but also on nutritionalinformation. Providing clear information to consumersmust be a priority.Some of the products in India highlighted in this reportdo not disclose how much sugar is in the product – yetthe same product sold in other countries does. Suchinformation should be a standard requirement.Pester powerOne of the arguments often used by industry inopposition to regulations on advertising food to childrenis that it is up to parents to take responsibility for theirchildren’s eating habits. However, it is impossible forparents to be able to make a decision when informationis not readily available.This report has detailed the extent of the marketingtechniques used by companies, which further reducesparents’ ability as they are bombarded by ‘pester power’and the demands of their children. The use of ‘pesterpower’ may be even more important in low and middleincomecountries where techniques such as competitionsand free toys may have an even stronger appeal.Confusing commitmentsThere is a confusing array of ‘pledges’ that have beensigned by some food and beverage companies, the latestbeing the ‘Thai pledge’. Where some companies hadsigned global pledges, they did not inform the localconsumer organisation which makes it difficult to holdthe companies to account for their commitments. Therange of different countries they cover can make itdifficult to see which pledges are truly global. Thepledges themselves are also limited in scope. It is alsoconfusing to consumers that the fast food restaurantindustry seems to be absent from this attempt at selfregulationand is not a signatory to some of the pledges,such as the ‘Thai pledge’.This report has also shown a wide disparity between theresponses of national governments in this region. Somehave no national statutory controls on advertising; othersrely on general principles while some have introducedrestrictions designed to specifically address the marketingof food to children. However, the responses by thesegovernments do not go far enough to protect children.While controls restricting the advertising of unhealthyfoods to children are only one part of the answer to risingobesity rates, it is a concrete action that governments cantake to ensure that food marketing to children is in linewith healthy eating advice, rather than contradicting it.To fully protect children from the impact of marketingunhealthy food, governments should adopt nationallegislation based on the recommendations drawn up byCI and the IOTF.The need for an international codeThe evidence from this report further highlights the needfor an international code on the marketing of food andbeverages to children. The report reveals a whole range28 The Junk Food Trap

APPENDIXAbout the reportOur researchThis piece of research from CI explores the techniquesused by six multinational food companies to promoteunhealthy food to children and to get a snapshot of howsignificant this problem is in the Asia Pacific region.Another aim was to examine the industry’s response toconcerns about obesity and to look at the nationalgovernments’ response. The research covered emergingand developing economies in this region, namely, Fiji,Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippinesand Thailand.All CI members involved have produced a country report,which also looks at advertising by national or regionallybased companies. Information has been synthesised fromselected members to produce this regional report. Theinformation used for this report comes from thefollowing organizations:• Fiji – Consumer Council of Fiji (CCF)• Hong Kong – Hong Kong Consumer Council (HKCC)• India – Consumers Association of India (CAI) andConsumers Education and Research Society (CERC) –this information has been combined.• Indonesia –Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen Indonesia,(YLKI)• Malaysia – Federation of Malaysian ConsumersAssociation (FOMCA)• Nepal – SEWA Nepal• Philippines – IBON Foundation• Thailand – Foundation For Consumers (FFC)Research methodologyCI utilised the model used by Which?, the ConsumersAssociation in the UK, for their reports published inNovember 2006 and July 2008 titled Food Fables 12 andFood Fables – the second sitting, which explored industrypolicies on responsible food marketing to kids. Which? isa member of CI. Below is a brief description of theprocess we went through to carry out the research:1. Choosing the manufacturers to focus onThe multinationals were chosen based on their marketshare. As we wanted to be able to make internationalcomparisons, the research focused on the companiesthat have the largest share globally that sell productsin the participating countries. Local food companieswere also chosen by members based on the largestmarket share in the country or in the region.2. Identifying the brands/products these manufacturerssellWe wrote, emailed and called the manufacturers toask for the full list of the food products they primarilysell to kids. We also visited their websites andscanned supermarkets to get this information.3. Assessing which of the products are unhealthyProducts targeted at children were evaluated basedon the UK Foods Standards Agency Criteria trafficlabelling scheme to see if they were high in fat sugaror salt. 13 (See chart page 31.) Those that got highscore either in sugar, fat or salt content wereconsidered as ‘unhealthy’ for the purpose of theresearch. We looked at packaging to study thenutrition information while in cases when this wasmissing; we emailed, wrote, and called theirmanufacturers and requested the information.30 The Junk Food Trap

When is a product ‘high in fat, sugar or salt?As a benchmark we used the UK’s Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) criteria for its traffic labelling scheme to define whatis ‘high’.UK Food Standards Agency Criteria (per 100g/100ml) (Published January 2007)Low Medium HighFat (per 100g) 3g and below Between 3g and 20g Over 20gFat (per 100ml) 1.5g and below Between 1.5g and 10g Over 10gSaturates (per 100g) 1.5g and below Between 1.5g and 5g Over 5gSaturates (per 100ml) 0.75g and below Between 0.75g and 2.5g Over 2.5gTotal sugars (per 100g) 5g and below Between 5g and 15g Over 15gTotal sugars (per 100ml) 2.5g and below Between 2.5g and 7.5g Over 7.5gSalt (per 100g or 100ml) 0.3g and below Between 0.3g and 1.5g Over 1.5g4. Were the manufacturers marketing theirunhealthy products to children?Marketing of food to children has become more andmore creative and sophisticated. Examples ofmarketing can be found by monitoring a range ofmedia such as television, Internet, in-store or inrestaurantpromotions and press. It is impossible todefine all forms of marketing.In this research, CI members in Asia Pacific wereasked to collect and examine examples of marketingof unhealthy food products to children focusing on:• TV advertisements• product packaging, and• innovative marketing techniques, such as interactivewebsites, viral marketing, film promotions, etc.The examples of advertising were collected from Aprilto June 2008.Based on the CI and IOTF Recommendations for anInternational Code on Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children, marketing applies tothe processes or techniques of promoting, selling, anddistributing food products including all future formsof advertising. Examples of these could include thefollowing:• interactive websites• film promotions• day trips• materials for schools• viral marketing (eg emails, games, blogs)• competitions• free toys or prizes• football or other sports promotions• use of celebrities• clubs to join• use of cartoon characters• TV adverts• articles in children’s magazines• SMS messaging• innovative food products (eg ‘food you can playwith’)• on-pack promotions, including coupon collecting• sponsored hotel suites or other holiday promotions.5. Establishing company policiesCompanies featured in this report were asked fortheir policies on marketing of food to children andtheir action on obesity or nutrition. A number ofcommunication modes were maximized to obtainthis information.About the report31

Endnotes1International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. 2006; 1: 11_/25 (2006)2The CI and IOTF Recommendations for an International Code on Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverages toChildren is available to download at www.junkfoodgeneration.org3http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/index.html Accessed 3 July 20084http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/index.html Accessed 3 July 20085http://www.iotf.org/childhoodobesity.asp Accessed 27 February 20086International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. 2006; 1: 11_/25 (2006)7The extent, nature and effects of food promotion to children: A review of the evidence Professor Gerard Hastings etal, World Health Organization (WHO), July 20068http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA57/A57_R17-en.pdf Accessed 3 July 20089Countries included India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea. Junk Food Generation available todownload at http://www.consumersinternational.org/Shared_ASP_Files/UploadedFiles/728E4ABF-3B36-4450-9A6D-D0A2A1B16F4B_JunkfoodfinalROAP.pdf10As reported in The Nation online on 23 May 2008http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/23/national/national_30073761.php accessed on 3 July 200811The codes of practice are issued by the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority and are available at its website at:www.hkba.hk.12Food Fables, Which?, November 2006 is available to download athttp://www.which.co.uk/files/application/pdf/0611foodfables_rep-445-111767.pdf and Food Fables – the SecondSitting, July 2008, is available at http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns/kids-food/food-marketing-tricks-to-look-outfor/food-fables/index.jsp13http://www.salt.gov.uk/understanding_labels.html32 The Junk Food Trap

Consumers International24 Highbury CrescentLondon N5 1RX, UKemail: consint@consint.orgwww.consumersinternational.orgFind out more about Consumers International’scampaign by visiting www.junkfoodgeneration.org