Food for Health Alliance’s Brands off our kids! campaign today launched an Open Letter, appealing to Australian Health Minister, the Hon Mark Butler, to introduce regulation to stop sinister marketing tactics of the processed food industry relentlessly targeting children.
The plea to protect the future health of our youngest Australians has rallied the support of more than 40 top Australian public health, consumer and community organisations, including the Australian Medical Association, Royal Australasian College of General Practitioners, The George Institute for Global Health, as well as strong advocate in this space, Jamie Oliver.
Food for Health Alliance Executive Manager, Jane Martin said currently the processed food industry has license to infiltrate every aspect of kids’ lives with junk food advertising — surrounding them like wallpaper.
“Unhealthy food companies are using sophisticated data and technology to place ads in front of children when they are online, using social media or watching television.”
Ms Martin added there was an increasing need for children to be protected from ubiquitous unhealthy food and drink advertising online and in the community.
“Children deserve to live in a community that supports and promotes their health and wellbeing, with access to nourishing, wholesome food to support learning, growth and play. But the unscrupulous marketing tactics of the food industry in Australia undermine this.
“Every ad for burgers, sugary drinks or a fast-food meal deal undermines what kids know about a nutritious diet, and powerfully shapes their preferences. By eating more unhealthy foods, children are more likely to be above a healthy weight and face an increasing risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and 13 types of cancer later in life,” Ms Martin said.
Australia has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to reducing unhealthy food advertising, with no federal regulation in place specifically designed to protect children. We know the government has this issue on its radar, and has led a consultation on policy options to limit unhealthy food marketing to children, with a report set to be presented to the federal government this year. We expect the report will outline a range of ways children can be protected from unhealthy food marketing that harms and undermines their health, now and into the future.
Children are bombarded with advertising in every aspect of their life. For example, research shows Australian teens see almost 100 online unhealthy food and drink promotions per week.
“We are heartened by incredible progress in places like the UK, where government action has resulted in a ban on junk food ads on TV before 9pm and paid junk food advertising online which will come into force in 2025. It’s time for Australia to put our children’s health ahead of corporate profits and for us to follow suit with regulation,” said Ms Martin.
Government action has strong support, with Shape of Australia1, a national survey conducted in 2023 finding that two in three Australian adults support government action to protect children from unhealthy food marketing. With the government looking at ways to support nutrition for children, at a time when nine of ten aren’t eating enough fruit and vegetables, we have an opportunity for action.
Sign up to the Brands off our kids! campaign to demonstrate your support for government action to protect children from advertising by the processed food industry by:
1. Making online environments free from unhealthy food marketing;
2. Ensuring TV, radio and similar media are free from unhealthy food marketing at all times of the day and
night when children are watching and listening;
3. Making public spaces, public events and retail environments free from unhealthy food marketing; and
4. Preventing companies marketing unhealthy food directly to children with tactics like cartoons on product
packaging, toys and prizes.
Visit foodforhealthalliance.org.au/brandsoff to learn more and support the campaign.
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