Food Makers To Junk Bad Ads
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday October 24, 2008
AUSTRALIA'S $70 billion food industry is pledging to advertise only healthy food to children under 12, which could mean the disappearance of commercials for products such as Coca Cola and ice cream during children's viewing hours.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council said that from January its member companies had undertaken to refrain from advertising food and beverages not deemed healthy under official dietary standards.The council's chief executive, Kate Carnell, said she expected the public would notice a change "in the mix" of food and drink products aimed at children in advertising.Ms Carnell said the industry plan was a reasonable middle course even if some might argue that those in their early teens would be vulnerable to advertising of unhealthy products.She said many children might watch later "family" programs not covered by the ban, but "parents would be the arbiters" of such viewing. "This is not about the nanny state," she said. The food industry's plan to upgrade its self-regulation follows the recent decision of the Australian Communications and Media Authority not to call for tighter regulations of food advertising during children's viewing hours, which drew strong criticism from consumer and health groups.Ms Carnell said her council supported the authority's finding that there was no need for further government regulation on food advertising to children."Despite ACMA's findings, the industry is still keen to address community concerns regarding advertising to children," she said.It would be up to companies to demonstrate that the products they advertised to children met Australian dietary standards for healthy food. "Some members will say we won't advertise at all [during children's hours]. Others will say we will advertise our healthy [products] but won't advertise others," Ms Carnell said.The industry's "Responsible Childrens Marketing Initiative" would cover advertising on free to air TV, pay TV, the internet, and the use of licensed cartoon characters and publications aimed at children. The council said that among the TV programs that would be covered by the healthy food inititative were Hi-5, Dora The Explorer and Saturday Disney.Ms Carnell said: "It will be the community's expectation that the scheme will be overseen by an independent arbitrator, to whom perceived breaches can be reported and who can take action to rectify violations. This is also industry's view."
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald