Volume 195 - Issue 8
Advertising of fast food to children on Australian television: the impact of industry self-regulation
Authors: Peta E Craig and Geoffrey Annison
Med J Aust 2011; 195 (8): 453. || doi: 10.5694/mja11.10846
Published online: 17 October 2011
Published online: 17 October 2011
To the Editor: The recent article by Hebden and colleagues on the frequency and content of fast-food advertising on Australian television concluded that the industry self-regulatory initiatives currently in place are ineffective in reducing children’s exposure to advertising of non-core foods.1 As the managers of these self-regulatory initiatives, we consider this conclusion to be misleading to your readers.
The Australian food and beverage industry recognises the level of community concern in relation to food and beverage advertising to children. There are currently two self-regulatory initiatives in place to moderate advertising of non-core foods and beverages to children: the Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative, that covers products found in retail outlets; and the Australian Quick Service Restaurant Industry Initiative for Responsible Advertising and Marketing to Children, that covers foods sold in quick-service restaurants. These initiatives are designed to restrict advertisements aimed at children by means of the nature of the advertisement and/or the medium by which it is delivered.
Hebden et al base their conclusion on a broad definition of “advertising to children” that captures all advertisements screened between 5.30 pm and 10.30 pm on weekdays, and between 7.30 am and 11 am and 4.30 pm and 11 pm on weekends. Specific time periods are not, in fact, covered in the industry initiatives as these periods capture programs that are watched primarily by adults. If children are watching these programs, they are likely to be doing so accompanied by an adult who can provide guidance on appropriate food consumption.
However, industry does recognise that times when children are watching television alone and advertisements that are designed particularly to target children are a different matter, and that it must act responsibly in these areas. The success of the initiatives should not be measured by advertising frequencies during certain time periods, as implied by Hebden and colleagues.
Nevertheless, the data presented by Hebden et al actually suggest a significant reduction in the frequency of non-core-food advertisements (excluding fast food) in just the first year of operation of the initiatives, which, in terms of what the authors perceive to be “advertising to children”, should be viewed as a positive finding.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council is committed to monitoring the self-regulatory initiatives and makes the results available to all stakeholders to help evaluate the effectiveness of what the initiatives set out to achieve.
Competing interests
No relevant disclosures.
References
- Hebden LA, King L, Grunseit A, et al. Advertising of fast food to children on Australian television: the impact of industry self-regulation. Med J Aust 2011; 195: 20-24. 0_DAHFEGFC