'Junk' food marketing and childhood obesity concerns rising across Europe

26 April 2005

A report released today shows that obesity in childhood and 'junk' food marketing to children are growing European-wide problems that national governments and the European Union urgently need to address.

The UK and rest of Europe has seen a growth in the marketing of processed or 'junk' food to children in schools and via new media - mostly the internet and text messages to mobile phones. However, much of the debate on regulation focuses solely on television advertising to kids, so politicians and policy makers are in danger of missing the target.

The project shows that across Europe there is an incoherent patchwork of legal and voluntary controls on broadcast and non-broadcast advertising to children, and on marketing in schools. The internet is the least regulated, and promotions on food company websites are virtually unregulated.

National Heart Forum chief executive, Paul Lincoln, warns: "We're now seeing the consequences of what the food and marketing industries already know but refuse to disclose - namely that they invest heavily in marketing food high in fats, sugar and salt to children as a highly effective way to increase consumption, not just gain market share for their brand. This type of food marketing has created an unhealthy food culture throughout Europe.

Coordinator for the UK contribution to this project, Jane Landon, Associate Director of the National Heart Forum, explains: "This report clearly shows that the ubiquitous and relentless promotion of snacks, sweets, fast food and confectionery to children is a cause for concern among consumers and policy makers throughout the European Union. Drawn from publicly available data, the project almost certainly understates the extent of current and planned marketing activity aimed at children. What we see is a patchy and inadequate picture of national regulation in member states which fails to address the effects of global food markets and cross border advertising. What is needed is action at a European level on advertising and marketing to underpin better national policies and regulation."

Sweden and Norway tried to protect their children from 'junk' food TV adverts by prohibiting them within their borders. However, these efforts are undermined by cable and satellite TV broadcasts from other countries, alongside aggressive internet marketing.

However, there are currently no agreed definitions of foods that are 'high in fat, sugar or salt'. Proper protection of children in Europe from the marketing of unhealthy foods first demands a common EU definition of an 'unhealthy food'.

Key recommendations of the report are:

The TV Without Frontiers Directive should be amended to prohibit TV advertising of 'unhealthy' food to children, thereby protecting the existing legislation in Norway and Sweden and extending this protection to the rest of Europe's children.
Additional measures should be introduced to protect children from all other forms of 'unhealthy' food marketing, including through schools and the Internet (where it is increasing), and through any other broadcast and non-broadcast media (even though these are currently minor outlets, compared to TV).
A common EU definition of an unhealthy food needs to be agreed[5].
Effective structures and procedures should be established to monitor the nature and extent of food marketing to children and its regulation throughout Europe.

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Notes to editors

The National Heart Forum conducted the UK leg of the research project via its national forum members.
This research was coordinated by the European Heart Network and part funded by the European Commission.
These research findings are the result of the first phase of a 3-phase project.
The International Obesity Taskforce estimates that 20% of school age children in Europe are carrying excess body fat, with an increased risk of developing chronic disease.
In the UK, the Food Standards Agency is developing a system of 'nutrient profiling' for foods so that working definitions of 'unhealthy foods' (or foods high in fat, sugar or salt) can be agreed which will form the basis of a review of advertising codes by the broadcast regulator, Ofcom.