New government report supports action to protect Australian children from unhealthy food marketing

The Food for Health Alliance welcomes the government’s release today of the final report of the feasibility study on policy options to implement restrictions to protect children from unhealthy food marketing.

The independent expert report commissioned by the federal government found that a wide range of policy options were feasible, these include restrictions on:

Importantly, the report highlights that a combination of options would be most likely to effectively protect children from unhealthy food marketing. Submissions to the consultation listed unhealthy food marketing online and on TV/broadcast media as the highest priorities for action.

With the report confirming that strong action is feasible, Food for Health Alliance is urging governments to take a comprehensive approach to tackling the powerful influence that unhealthy food marketing has on children’s diets and health.

Jane Martin, Executive Manager of Food for Health Alliance says that restricting unhealthy food marketing to children is crucial for protecting the health of young Australians now and into the future.

“Unhealthy food marketing has a powerful influence on children, shaping what they eat, what they ask for, and how they spend their pocket money. This marketing normalises unhealthy diets at an age when lifelong habits are formed.”

Australian children’s diets are well below dietary recommendations. Nine in ten children do not eat the recommended serves of vegetables, and more than forty percent of children’s total energy intake comes from unhealthy foods. More than a quarter of children are above a healthy weight.

Being above a healthy weight in childhood and adolescence is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease and depression. These risks often persist into adulthood, increasing the risk of chronic disease later in life.

The processed food industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year promoting its products. In 2022 alone, $386 million was spent on food and beverage marketing across all media in Australia, with almost half of this investment in digital marketing, followed by television and streaming services. Children are exposed to unhealthy food marketing when they watch sport, go online, travel to school and watch television - it is pervasive and unavoidable.

Stronger government regulation is essential, Ms Martin asserts.

“With big profits to be made from pushing unhealthy products to kids, this isn’t an issue that will go away on its own.

As the feasibility study report highlights, evidence from Australia and internationally shows that self-regulation does not effectively reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing. It’s clearly the responsibility of government to step in with strong controls to protect our children’s health.”

The community support for action is strong. Research has found that 2 out of 3 Australians support government action to protect children from unhealthy food marketing.

According to Ms Martin, states and territories also have important levers they can use.

“We’ve already seen positive leadership from the ACT and SA who have taken action to prohibit unhealthy food marketing on government owned public transport.”

Internationally action is also progressing. Earlier this year the UK implemented a ban on junk food marketing on television before 9pm and paid junk food advertising online, demonstrating that strong protections for children are achievable.

“These examples show that limiting unhealthy food marketing to children is possible and the report released today further confirms that Australia can and should act. It’s time for all Governments to take strong action, so all children can grow up in environments that that support their health and wellbeing rather than prioritising profits for processed food companies” Ms Martin concluded.

- ENDS -