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Food Fables
Sue Davies
Chief Policy Adviser
23 May, 2017
Food Fables
• Our research
• Overall findings
• Examples of company practices
• Conclusions
23 May, 2017
Strong support for action
86% of parents think that the Government should
do more to control the way unhealthy foods are
marketed to children
23 May, 2017
Our research
• We looked at leading food company policies:
• Burger King, Cadbury Schweppes, Coca Cola, Haribo,
Kellogg’s, KFC, Kraft, Masterfoods, McDonald’s, Nestlé,
PepsiCo, Weetabix
• We monitored their marketing practices for six months –
March to August
•We focused on foods high in fat, sugar and salt
• We talked to children
• 26 five to nine year olds (paired in-depth interviews)
• 24 fourteen to fifteen year olds (group discussions)
23 May, 2017
Overall findings – company policies
• Some policies were too narrow to prevent the
use of all irresponsible marketing methods
• Some were too general or vague
• Usually apply to younger children only
• Some policies contain caveats such as not
marketing ‘primarily’ to certain age groups or
‘where they are the majority of the
audience’
• Some policies allow marketing to parents, not
children but the distinctions can be blurred
• In some cases, marketing practice
contradicted the stated policy
23 May, 2017
Some examples:
Cadbury Schweppes
What they say:
‘Do not advertise to children under eight where
they are the majority of the audience;
will not seek to gain the address or other
personal details of the child or e-mail them;
will not use visuals, language or messages that
encourage children to pester parents;
will always take into account the level of
knowledge, sophistication and maturity of the
people it is advertising to.’
23 May, 2017
Cadbury Schweppes
• Sponsor the themed ‘Chocolate
Suite’ at the Alton Towers Hotel
• Offer teachers educational
resource packs and encourage
school trips to Chocolate World.
Downloadable Cadbury workbooks
for Key Stages 1 & 2 are also
available.
23 May, 2017
What children said
‘Things with makes are better – like Cadbury’s –
than things without makes. They spend more
time making them.’ (8-9 year old)
23 May, 2017
Coca Cola
What they say:
‘For the past 50 years we have not targeted
carbonated soft drinks advertising to the under
12s, a policy which was updated in 2003 to
include the advertising of all our brands….’
‘…Do not use celebrities who have a specific
children focus. We will however use celebrities
where they can add excitement and interest’
23 May, 2017
Coca Cola
• A set of films to promote Classic Coke
were released in the Spring to be emailed and spread virally, using music
from Lady Sovereign and Bent
• World Cup promotions included
- a branded video blogging network
where unofficial mascots Postie and
Titch promoted Coca Cola products
- the chance for 13 to 15 year olds to
be a World Cup flag bearer carrying
the England flag
- exclusive Wayne Rooney films to
download
23 May, 2017
What children said
‘[Coke and the World Cup] they’re linked
together, they stay together’ (5-6 year old)’
‘The signs on TV say Coca-Cola and football is
good for you’ (5-6 year old)
‘I’ve seen Coke advertised loads of times for the
World Cup’ (5-6 year old)
23 May, 2017
Kellogg’s
What they say:
‘Kellogg’s has in place a global marketing code
and has a long-standing commitment to
advertising and marketing to children in a
responsible manner’.
‘We believe that it is important to educate
children on the role that our products play as
part of a balanced diet, in a fun and entertaining
manner.’
23 May, 2017
Kellogg’s
• Several web-sites aimed at
children, e.g. the high sugar
Coco-Pops web-site where
children could compete to win a
trip to Alton Towers – but only if
they register themselves and
friends, including their e-mail
addresses to create a ‘crew’ of
two or more
• In the Spring, Kellogg’s linked
up products such as Frosties,
Coco Pops and Rice Krispies with
the film Ice Age 2, including free
‘ice pops’
23 May, 2017
What children said
‘I wanted Frosties… I liked the look of them, the tiger.’
(8-9 year old)
‘They put toys in them.., it makes you buy them.’
(8-9 year old)
‘I like the adverts – you can whack them, swirl them and
smack them. I think it’s funny’ (5-6 year old about Fruit
Winders)
23 May, 2017
Masterfoods
What they say
‘We do not advertise to children and when our
activity is likely to be of interest to children, we
take special care not to undermine parental
authority, not to emphasise peer pressure and
not to generate pestering’
23 May, 2017
Masterfoods
• www.skittlesbigsummer.co.uk
offered the chance to win tickets to
see Robbie Williams. Two teams
(boys vs. girls) were set challenges
and visitors to the site were invited
to vote for their favourite team to
enter the prize draw.
• Sneak magazine included a regular
Starburst promotion called ‘The
Juice’ which featured clothes,
beauty products and gig information
and was dubbed ‘the most mouthwatering stuff happening this week’.
23 May, 2017
McDonald’s
What they say
‘McDonald’s principles include:
Not promoting the sale of any food product to
children that is larger than the size proportions
of a Happy Meal, not showing children consuming
food close to bedtime or depicting snack foods as
substitutes for meals…
Using Ronald McDonald as an ‘ambassador’ for
balanced lifestyles’
23 May, 2017
McDonald’s
• In
April and May, children received
Action Man Atom Vehicles and Funky
Friends Accessories with Happy
Meals. McDonald’s also linked up with
the Funky Friends website (aimed at
seven to 12 year olds). Children
received a code when they bought a
Happy Meal giving them access to
special content.
• In August, it renewed its
sponsorship deal with the Football
Association. TV adverts showed
children playing football in
McDonald’s while press adverts
promoted a special football kit deal.
23 May, 2017
What children said
‘I like the free toys in the kids’ happy meals’ (5-6
year old)
‘McDonald’s have an ad to walk with the England
Squad’ (8-9 year old)
23 May, 2017
Nestlé
What they say
‘As the world’s leading food and beverage
company we are committed to communicating
responsibly with all our customers, particularly
children, whose level of knowledge,
sophistication and maturity should always be
respected’
23 May, 2017
Nestlé
• Nestlé introduced Nesquik ‘Magic
Straws’ which flavour milk as it is sucked
through them. The chocolate version has
43.4g of sugar per 100g and the
strawberry 56.2g.
• www.fantasyworldoffun.com, the
Nesquik, Golden Nuggets and Cookie Crisp
web-site has a range of games to
encourage children to spend time at the
site eg. looking for hidden items around
the site while also showing product logos
and brand icons.
23 May, 2017
What children said
‘They make me want more…a little dog
advertises them. He is a funny character’
(8-9 year old, referring to Cookie Crisp)
23 May, 2017
Conclusions
• A more responsible approach is needed from industry
• The threat of legislation is important
• Very difficult to see how self-regulation will work
• Restrictions are needed on TV advertising of foods high
in fat, sugar or salt before 9.00 pm when most children
are watching
23 May, 2017
TV advertising – when children are watching
Programmes that attracted the highest viewing figures for 4 to 15
year olds ( 16-29 October 2006)
Description
1. ANT AND DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY
OOOs
Viewing_Index
1154.5
88.78
2. CORONATION STREET
814.5
48.64
3. EMMERDALE
545.5
42.85
4. THE X FACTOR RESULTS
516.6
71.60
5. THE X FACTOR
511.7
76.63
6. WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
481.4
49.52
7. HEARTBEAT
450.2
32.70
8. THE BILL
430.9
45.90
9. LADETTE TO LADY
428.6
50.31
10. TRINNY AND SUSANNAH UNDRESS
369.7
52.04
25. ITV EVENING NEWS
187.0
29.81
26. PARKINSON
186.5
36.46
27. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
170.3
268.69
28. BIKER MICE FROM MARS
168.9
291.34
29. MY PARENTS ARE ALIENS
168.1
259.61
30. AVATAR: THE LEGEND OF AANG
160.4
251.55
23 May, 2017
Conclusions
• A more responsible approach is needed from industry
• The threat of legislation is important
• Very difficult to see how self-regulation will work
• Restrictions are needed on TV advertising of foods high in
fat, sugar or salt before 9.00 pm when most children are
watching
• Restrictions are needed for other, non-broadcast advertising
and promotion that ensure foods high in fat, sugar or salt are
not marketed to children under 16
23 May, 2017