Transcript Presentation WHO consultant on self regulation and marketing of

Evaluating the Option of Self-Regulating
Food Marketing to Young People
Corinna Hawkes
Research Fellow
International Food Policy Research Institute
Washington DC
What is Self-Regulation of Advertising and
Marketing Communications?
STRUCTURE

A system whereby industry
actively participates in & is
responsible for its own regulation

Led, funded & administered by the
industries concerned, comprising
(1) Code of practice governing the
content of marketing campaigns;
(2) Process for the establishment,
review and application of the code
of practice, usually in the form of a
“self-regulatory organization”

Usually exists independently of
government regulation, but may
be mandated by government
Diet, Physical Activity and Health – A European Platform for Action
OBJECTIVE

To promote advertising/MC that
are legal, decent, honest &
truthful, & do not exploit the
credulity of children (consumer
protection)

Thus
promoting
trust
in
advertising/MC
among
consumers & government

Thereby protecting advertising
/MC from external regulation
(protection of industry freedom)

So facilitating the proliferation
of
more
&
effective
advertising/MC
Meeting, 5 February 2007
Recent Developments in Self-Regulation of
Food Marketing to Young People



Increasing worldwide,
especially in Europe (faster
than statutory regulation)
Shows industry concern,
advantage of speed,
responsiveness
But also shows efforts to
deflect statutory regulation:
growth in countries and
techniques where with
legislative threats (expect
development in Asia,
product placement)
Countries with statutory and
self-regulations specific to
marketing food to children –
changes April 2004-December
2006+
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
TV
TV
Advertising Advertising
2004
2006
In-school
marketing
2004
In-school Internet 2004 Internet 2004 Sponsorship Sponsorship
Sales
marketing
2004
2006
promotions
2006
2004
Statutory regulations
Sales
promotions
2006
Product
placement
2004
Product
placement
2006
Self regulations
+ Hawkes, C. Marketing Food to Children: Changes in the Global
Regulatory Environment 2004-2006, forthcoming, WHO
Diet, Physical Activity and Health – A European Platform for Action
Meeting, 5 February 2007
Form of Self-Regulatory Codes
(I) General codes concerned with content (follow ICC, CIAA) (almost all
countries) e.g. food and drink advertising should not
 Promote “excessive” consumption;
 Undermine the importance of a healthy diet;
 Undermine role of parents in providing nutritional advice;
 Mislead children about the quality and value of the food
(II) Codes that impose limited restrictions on participating companies
(only three countries)

E.g. Spain, Netherlands, United States, no (or limit) characters popular
with children; no product placement
(III) Voluntary codes developed by individual food companies (several)
 Content (general) & restrictions e.g. no advertising to children under age

12
…but not strictly self-regulation, since they generally lack a process for
the establishment, review and application of the code
Diet, Physical Activity and Health – A European Platform for Action
Meeting, 5 February 2007
How Well is Self-Regulation of Food
Marketing to Young People Working? I

What is the evidence? Depends on how the effectiveness of selfregulation is defined, implemented and monitored?* 3 types:

1) Monitoring through complaints: traditional approach


Child-targeted advertising not subject to much complaint; food
advertising subject to relatively large number of complaints mainly
on the basis they mislead consumers about the nature of the
product (claims) (but most not upheld)
2) Compliance monitoring: becoming more widespread



Europe: WFA/EASA, ICC Framework - 96.2% compliance
US: 97% compliance
Spain: pre-vetting (unusual) recommended that 12.5% (29) were
withdrawn & 19.8% (46) modified
*DG SANCO Green Paper “Promotion of Healthy Diets and Physical Activity” (p.8)
Diet, Physical Activity and Health – A European Platform for Action
Meeting, 5 February 2007
How Well is Self-Regulation of Food
Marketing to Young People Working? II


So by these standards, self-regulation can work…
… but do not measure whether self-regulation is “working” as
an adequate tool for limiting food marketing to young people?*
For that, a third type of monitoring is needed
 3) Monitoring of whether substantially reduces extent and
impact of food advertising and marketing communications+



No evidence, and in fact would counter the aim of selfregulation – facilitate the proliferation of marketing
communications, provided are legal, decent, honest, truthful
Concerned with restrictions, not content
Not just advertising, but all marketing communications
*DG SANCO Green Paper “Promotion of Healthy Diets and Physical Activity” (p.8)
+ WHO EURO Obesity Charter
Diet, Physical Activity and Health – A European Platform for Action
Meeting, 5 February 2007
What are “satisfactory results” needed from
self-regulation?*

If the result needed is legal, honest, decent and
truthful, marketing, which does not exploit the
credulity of children, nor directly promote
excessive consumption etc, self-regulation can
work

If the result needed is to limit the extent and
impact of food marketing to young people, selfregulation cannot work, and statutory-regulation
is needed (e.g. UK)
*DG SANCO Green Paper “Promotion of Healthy Diets and Physical Activity” (p.8)
Diet, Physical Activity and Health – A European Platform for Action
Meeting, 5 February 2007
Thank you!
Diet, Physical Activity and Health – A European Platform for Action
Meeting, 5 February 2007