What are other countries doing?

What Are Other Countries Doing?

In 2023, the World Health Organization updated their statement regarding food and beverage marketing to children, calling for global action to reduce the impact of marketing of foods high in sugar, salt or saturated fats to children. In particular, they called for comprehensive and mandatory polices that reduce exposure of unhealthy food and beverage advertising among both children and adolescents based on nutrition criteria developed by government. 

We urge Canada to join Quebec and the following nations that have policies to protect children against commercial food and beverage marketing.

Quebec has had legislation to protect children from advertising since the early 1980s. Under Quebec law, companies are not to advertise in a manner directed to children under age 13. While this advertising ban is not perfect, it is having an impact:

• Children in Quebec see fewer food and beverage ads on French child-appealing stations than children watching these stations in English in Quebec and Ontario (Potvin Kent et al., 2023). 
• Food advertising featuring child-directed content is less frequent on French-language television stations in Quebec (Potvin Kent et al., 2023). 
• In 2019, advertising expenditures for food products targeted to children were lower in Quebec ($9.40/child capita) compared to the rest of Canada ($13.91/child capita) (Potvin Kent et al., 2023). 
• The Consumer Protection Act was associated with a 13% reduction in the likelihood of purchasing fast food among Francophone households in Quebec compared to Anglophone households in Quebec and those in Ontario based on an analysis of expenditure data from 1984 to 1992 (Dhar & Baylis, 2011). In 1992, this represented a $65.4 million CAD reduction in fast-food purchases per year (equivalent to $121.3 million CAD in 2023) (Dhar & Baylis, 2011; Bank of Canada, 2023). 

Norway 

In 2023, Norway’s parliament agreed to new regulations that will restrict all advertisements of unhealthy foods to children under the age of 18. The law, expected to come into effect in 2024, will ban the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages that are high in fats, sugars and salt (HFSS) in all media that children are likely to see. This includes television, radio, the internet, and social media. (Safe Food Advocacy Europe, 2023) 

Iran 

Advertisements for soft drinks have been banned in Iran since 2004. Article 37 in the 5th national development plan (2011-2016) banned the advertising ofgoods and services that put health at risk. This list of products, updated annually, includes 19 unhealthy foods. In addition, article 12 of the Regulation on the Establishment and Monitoring of the Work and Activity of Advertising Centres bans any marketing means and advertisement in kindergartens, schools, and child-specific settings . (FAO et al., 2020; The Parliament of Iran, 2011; Omidvar et al., 2021) 

United Kingdom 

The UK’s independent advertising regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), enforces the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising (2010) which prohibits advertising and product placement of HFSS foods during and adjacent to television and radio programmes with a target audience under the age of 16. In 2022, England also restricted the promotion of HFSS products by location and by volume price among certain large-sized food retailers. For example, these products must not be placed within two meters of a store’s checkout or designated queuing area, the end of aisles, or store entrances. Similarly, online retailers must not offer for sale HFSS foods on the homepage of a website. Businesses are also prohibited from offering multibuy promotions or financial incentives that include HFSS products. 

(ASA, 2010; Department of Health & Social Care, 2023). 

Chile 

Following the 2012 Law of Nutritional Composition of Food and Advertising, Chile began implementing the Food Labeling and Advertising Law in 2016. It requires manufacturers to include front-of-package warning labels on prepackaged HFSS foods or beverages, prohibits these products from being sold or offered for free in schools and nurseries, and bans their marketing to children under the age of 14 in media that self-identify as being intended for children. These marketing restrictions apply to schools, product packaging, point-of-sale, print media, radio, television, and websites. In 2018, this law was supplemented by a ban against all HFSS food advertising on television from 6am to 10pm. Any remaining HFSS food advertising is prohibited from featuring children-directed strategies such as the use of cartoons (including brand characters), animations, games, contests, toys, fantastical product descriptors, children’s expression or voices, and the portrayal of situations related to the day-to-day lives of children. Implementation of the Food Labeling and Advertising Law occurred in 3 phases (2016, 2018, 2019) wherein thresholds categorizing products as HFSS becomes more restrictive. (Corvalan, 2019) 

Mexico 

In 2014, the Mexican Ministry of Health issued an Order restricting the advertising of unhealthy food and sweetened beverages between 2:30pm and 7:30pm on weekdays and 7am and 7:30pm on weekends. In 2018, additional regulations were passed banning cartoon mascots from food packaging. These regulations took effect in 2021. (Food Secure Canada, 2016; Martinez, 2021) 

Ireland 

“In Ireland, the 2009 Children’s Commercial Communications Code prohibits featuring celebrities in food advertisements to children under the age of 18, and using characters and personalities from children’s programming in food advertising to children under the age of 15. The code was updated in 2013 to include the advertising, sponsorship, teleshopping, and product placement of HFSS foods during television and radio programmes where over 50% of the audience is under 18 years… Remaining advertisements targeted at children under the age of 13 must not include nutrient or health claims or include licensed characters.” (World Cancer Research Fund, 2018; Scully et al., 2014) 

Argentina 

In 2022, Argentina’s National Administration of Drugs, Foods and Medical Devices issued a Resolution that complements the Healthy Eating Law. This Resolution “prohibits the advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of packaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages that contain at least one front-of-pack labelling, when such promotional actions are directed to minors or teenagers”. (Dentons, 2022) 

Portugal 

In 2019, Portugal amended its Advertising Code and introduced restrictions on the advertising of HFSS foods direct at children under the age of 16. These rules include banning advertisements for foods and beverages “high in energy, salt, sugar, saturated fat and trans fatty acids” during and 30 minutes before and after programmes on television, on-demand audio-visual communication, and radio directed at children. The Law also imposes digital marketing restrictions and bans advertising in schools. (World Cancer Research Fund, 2018; Figueira et al., 2023) 

South Korea 

In South Korea, television advertising to children under the age of 18 is prohibited. The Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Dietary Life (2008) restricts the advertising of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods “before, during, and after all television programs broadcast between 5pm and 7pm”. (Lee et al., 2017) 

Taiwan 

Restrictions on food advertising to children under the age of 12 came into effect in 2016. Regulations Governing Advertisement and Promotion of Food Products Not Suitable for Long-term Consumption by Children restrict food products with fats >30% of total calories , saturated fat >10% of total calories, added sugars >10% of total calories , and >400mg of sodium per serving. These products are prohibited from being advertised on five children’s TV channels between 5pm and 9pm. During these hours, ads should not  promote unhealthy food as an alternvative for a healthy meal. Taiwan also “has a ban on the promotion of complimentary toys given out with meals”. (Pruszynska, 2020) 

Brazil 

“The Consumer Defense Code (CDC) is a Brazilian law responsible for protecting consumers against all kinds of abusive advertising. It classifies and determines the principles of advertising and states that abusive and misleading advertisements cannot be promoted. The CDC considers abusive any advertising or marketing communication techniques that takes advantage of the child’s judgment and experience or induces consumers to make harmful health choices. Furthermore, the National Council of Children and Adolescents’ Rights established the Resolution no. 163, which regulates abusive aspects of advertising directed to children. This resolution specifies which kind of marketing techniques are considered abusive for children and adolescents and, in its article 3, specifically directs restrictions to protect adolescents against abusive advertising.” (Guimaraes et al., 2022) 

Spain 

In 2021, Spain announced that it was developing new restrictions to ban unhealthy food advertising in various media, including television and digital media, aimed at children under the age of 16. Once implemented, companies will not be permitted  to advertise on television from 8-9am and 5-8pm on weekdays, and between 9am to 12pm on weekends. (McMurty, 2021)  

Sweden 

The Swedish Radio and Television Act (2010) places several restrictions on advertising directed at children under the age of 12. “Commercial advertising in television broadcasts, searchable teletext, and video-on-demand should not aim to capture the attention of children under 12.” Furthermore, advertising cannot be broadcast immediately before, after or during programmes  targeting this age group.  In addition, advertising cannot include persons or characters that feature prominently in programmes intended for children under 12 and product placement is also prohibited in this programming. (The Swedish Radio and Television Act, 2020)

For More Examples of M2K Policy Actions Around the World: 

• World Cancer Research Fund International – NOURISH Framework (2018): Restrict food advertising and other forms of commercial promotion
• Obesity Policy Coalition (2018): International Comparisons on unhealthy food and beverage marketing restrictions.
• The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity (2014): Pledges on Food Marketing to Children Worldwide

Additional Resources: 

• World Health Organization (2018): Taking Action on Childhood Obesity Report
• World Health Organization (2013): Marketing of foods high in fat, salt, and sugar to children  
• World Health Organization (2012): A framework for implementing the set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to Children 
• World Health Organization (2023): Policies to protect children from the harmful impact of food marketing: WHO guideline 
• World Health Organization (2023): Taking action to protect children from the harmful impact of food marketing: a child rights-based approach