Policy to practice: Marketing food and beverages to children

1. Tim LobsteinDirector of Policy and ProgrammesInternational Association for the Study of Obesity International Obesity TaskForce Policy to practice: Marketing food and beverages to children

3. WHO 2003 “…some experts have suggested that the marketing of such [HFSS] foods contributes to an ‘obesogenic’ environment that makes healthy food choices more difficult, especially for children.”

4. WHO 2004 “…Governments should work with consumer groups and the private sector (including advertising) to develop appropriate multisectoral approaches to deal with the marketing of food to children…”

5. Institute of Medicine (USA) 2005: • Marketing strongly influences children’s food preferences, requests and consumption • Food and drink advertising on TV is associated with obesity of children (strong evidence) and youth (weaker evidence)

6. 2006 Expert consultation: “...action is essential” to control advertising to children WHO

7. The IOTF Sydney Principles Launched ICO 2006 1. SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN. Regulations need to align with and support the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Rome Declaration on World Food Security which endorse the rights of children to adequate, safe and nutritious food. 2. AFFORD SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTION TO CHILDREN. Children are particularly vulnerable to commercial exploitation, and regulations need to be sufficiently powerful to provide them with a high level of protection. Child protection is the responsibility of every section of society - parents, governments, civil society, and the private sector. 3. BE STATUTORY IN NATURE. Only legally-enforceable regulations have sufficient authority to ensure a high level of protection for children from targeted marketing and the negative impact that this has on their diets. Industry self-regulation is not designed to achieve this goal. 4. TAKE A WIDE DEFINITION OF COMMERCIAL PROMOTIONS. Regulations need to encompass all types of commercial targeting of children (e.g. television advertising, print, sponsorships, competitions, loyalty schemes, product placements, relationship marketing, Internet) and be sufficiently flexible to include new marketing methods as they develop. 5. GUARANTEE COMMERCIAL-FREE CHILDHOOD SETTINGS. Regulations need to ensure that childhood settings such as schools, child care, and early childhood education facilities are free from commercial promotions that specifically target children. 6. INCLUDE CROSS BORDER MEDIA. International agreements need to regulate cross-border media such as Internet, satellite and cable television, and free to-air television broadcast from neighbouring countries. 7. BE EVALUATED, MONITORED AND ENFORCED. The regulations need to be evaluated to ensure the expected effects are achieved, independently monitored to ensure compliance, and fully enforced.

8. 2007 international pledges by food and beverage cpmanies • Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogg’s etc “will not market some products to children under 12”

9. Kelloggspublicity in 2007

10. 2008 IASO-IOTF and Consumers International

11. World Health Assembly, May 2010Resolution • Governments should set the policy components – e.g. age, media, techniques, foods, monitoring • Settings where children gather should be free of HFSS food marketing • Member states should cooperate to reduce the impact of cross-border marketing

12. WHO recommendations

13. Coming in 2011 • WHO Guidance to member States on implementing the Recommendations • IASO-IOTF guidance on marketing to children • What foods should be controlled • What age groups • What media

14. PolMark project PolMark = Policies on Marketing Food and Beverages to Children co-funded by Executive Agency for Health and Consumers The Norwegian Health Directorate UK National Heart Forum

15. PolMark • Review national regulations • Interview stakeholders to gauge options for change

16. Policy trends 2003-2009 • Action from health policy makers is increasing • Three forms of self-regulation in parallel 1. Codes developed by self-regulatory organisations / trade associations 2. Codes which are “approved” or “encouraged” by government. 3. Individual company pledges – e.g. at EU level. Variety of foods, media, age groups Difficult to monitor and evaluate these effects simultaneously • Statutory regulation is increasing

17. Governments need: • Clear statements of the objectives to be achieved • Clear measurableindicators to demonstrate that achievement • A clear time line for implementation • Clear and enforceable ‘carrots and sticks’ to encourage progress. » Outcome targets for industry, with statutory and non-statutory powers to ensure the targets are achieved and maintained. This is well-accepted in other private sector service industries.

18. Stakeholder Views: Conclusion • Strong differences of opinion on the effects of marketing and need for control, between market-oriented organisations and child-oriented organisations. • Organisations with higher power and influence may resist stronger controls, while organisations with low levels of power may support stronger controls. By definition, less powerful organisations do not have the resources to influence policy-makers, and as a result there is a potential imbalance in the democratic process.

19. … and next STANMARK = STANdards for MARKeting food and beverages to children Co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the Pilot Project on Transatlantic Methods for Handling Global Challenges in the European Union and the United States.

20. Aim: to support EU policy makers and researchers • Reviews of policy and research • Development of advocacy tools • Proposal: high standards for cross-border marketing

21. Aim: to support EU policy makers and researchers • Reviews of policy and research • Development of advocacy tools • Proposal: high standards for cross-border marketing Evidence and policy reviews Copenhagen, 29-30 May 2010 Washington DC, 22-23 October 2010 Brussels, 9-10 March 2011

22. Aim: to support EU policy makers and researchers • Reviews of policy and research • Development of advocacy tools • Proposal: high standards for cross-border marketing • Web-based policy ‘maps’ • Marketing news weekly • Library of research resources

25. Library of resources • Summaries of peer-reviewed science • Links to papers (papers themselves if allowed) • Links to reports, government documents • Links to • NGO websites • industry self-regulation sites • academic specialist centres • inter-governmental sites (WHO, Network)

26. Aim: to support EU policy makers and researchers • Reviews of policy and research • Development of advocacy tools • Proposal: high standards for cross-border marketing • Aims: • to identify key issues needing clear standards • to identify high standards already proposed in other public health fields

27. ISSUES: What is a ‘child’? - competent to protect their own welfare Which media need to be included? – all cross-border marketing opportunities Targeting children or seen by children? – risk reduction approach: power and exposure Which food products to include and exclude? – nutrient profiling schemes How should standards be monitored and enforced? Who is accountable? – assume a duty of care by all parties • Aim: to support EU policy makers and researchers • Reviews of policy and research • Development of advocacy tools • Proposal: high standards for cross-border marketing • Aims: • to identify key issues needing clear standards • to identify high standards already proposed in other public health fields

28. Aim: to support EU policy makers and researchers • Reviews of policy and research • Development of advocacy tools • Proposal: high standards for cross-border marketing HIGH STANDARDS: e.g. Tobacco marketing – Framework Convention Alcohol promotion – national and internet protocols Breastmilk substitutes – International Code World Health Assembly Resolution and Recommendations • Aims: • to identify key issues needing clear standards • to identify high standards already proposed in other public health fields

29. After Stanmark…

30. … maintain ‘responsible marketing’ and ‘high standards’ initiatives… support WHO guidance for member states… strengthen NGO advocacy in smaller states… offer ‘expert advisory’ service to governments

31. … maintain ‘responsible marketing’ and ‘high standards’ initiatives… support WHO guidance for member states… strengthen NGO advocacy in smaller states… offer ‘expert advisory’ service to governments … and find the funding to do it!

32. Thank you Tim Lobstein tlobstein@iaso.org