That might have been what we watched four decades ago in between our very limited television choices, but things have changed drastically in the ensuing years. And now, new recommendations to control the advertising of junk food to children looks set to reduce even more the amount of food advertising to children, as well as renew hostilities between public health experts and advertisers. Eleven per cent of Kiwi children are obese and another 22% overweight – the third highest rate in the developed world – and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman is not apologising for his determination to do something about it. Releasing an Advertising Standards Authority report on the review of food and beverage advertising to children recently, he says the major code change will be an explicit restriction on advertising ‘occasional food and beverages’ to children, and replacing the existing two children’s codes with one. Occasional foods are those “too high in energy and/or saturated fat and/or added sugar and/or sodium and provide minimal nutritional value.” They include confectionary, deep-fried foods, full-sugar drinks and artificially sweetened energy drinks. The 18 NOVEMBER 2016 review has recommended that occasional food must not be screened, broadcast, published or displayed in any media or setting where more than 25% of the expected audience is children. However, the panel made no recommendation on how healthy foods should be distinguished from unhealthy foods, saying only that a new system should be developed. New recommendations will go too far for some and nowhere near far enough for others, the chairman of the panel says. But Sir Bruce Robertson says there are no doubts. “Within the panel itself, there was a view that stronger action was required on the definition of a child and in sponsorship restrictions, than the position we finally reached,” he admits. “There was also concern about the nutrient profile system selected in the interim – from both industry and health representatives. In making the final recommendations, we recognise the need to find a pathway that is realistic and achievable in the context of the self-regulatory system that manages advertising standards in New Zealand. “We recognise that protecting children from physical, mental and moral harm goes far beyond advertising and marketing. This requires government, advertisers, industry associations, media, community organisations, schools, their boards of trustees and the health sector to take action. No one change will be sufficient. “These tighter advertising restrictions could start to help make a meaningful contribution and on behalf of the panel, I encourage the ASA and the wider advertising industry to support and implement them.” Food and grocery manufacturers have welcomed the new suggestions, saying they recognise the need to protect children and pointing out that the Food and Grocery Council is working on a new industry Advertising Pledge under which members will make “overtly clear that they agree to abide by the revised Codes. “Many people may not appreciate how the entire advertising environment in New Zealand has changed dramatically over the past few decades,” council chief executive Katherine Rich says. “Gone are the days of the Milky Bar Kid, Cookie Bear or Crunchie Bar campaigns that aired during children’s television programming. When I recently surveyed our member companies about advertising and children, they fell into two groups – they either do not advertise to children at all or they abide by the clear ASA
FT-Nov16
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