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

• 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