Food Fables

1
Food Fables

• Sue Davies
• Chief Policy Adviser

2
Food Fables

• Our research
• Overall findings
• Examples of company practices
• Conclusions

3
Strong support for action

• 86 of parents think that the Government should
  do more to control the way unhealthy foods are
  marketed to children

4
Our research

• We looked at leading food company policies
• Burger King, Cadbury Schweppes, Coca Cola,
  Haribo, Kelloggs, KFC, Kraft, Masterfoods,
  McDonalds, 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)

5
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

6
Some examplesCadbury 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.

7
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.

8
What children said

• Things with makes are better like Cadburys
  than things without makes. They spend more time
  making them. (8-9 year old)

9
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

10
Coca Cola

• A set of films to promote Classic Coke were
  released in the Spring to be e-mailed 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

11
What children said

• Coke and the World Cup theyre 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)
• Ive seen Coke advertised loads of times for the
  World Cup (5-6 year old)

12
Kelloggs

• What they say
• Kelloggs 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.

13
Kelloggs

• 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, Kelloggs linked up products such
  as Frosties, Coco Pops and Rice Krispies with the
  film Ice Age 2, including free ice pops

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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 its funny (5-6
  year old about Fruit Winders)

15
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

16
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 mouth-watering stuff
  happening this week.

17
McDonalds

• What they say
• McDonalds 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

18
McDonalds

• In April and May, children received Action Man
  Atom Vehicles and Funky Friends Accessories with
  Happy Meals. McDonalds 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 McDonalds while
  press adverts promoted a special football kit
  deal.

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What children said

• I like the free toys in the kids happy meals
  (5-6 year old)
• McDonalds have an ad to walk with the England
  Squad (8-9 year old)

20
Nestlé

• What they say
• As the worlds 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

21
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.

22
What children said

• They make me want morea little dog advertises
  them. He is a funny character
• (8-9 year old, referring to Cookie Crisp)

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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

24
TV advertising when children are
watchingProgrammes that attracted the highest
viewing figures for 4 to 15 year olds ( 16-29
October 2006)
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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