Junk food advertisers put profits before children’s health – and we let them
The conversation | Jane Martin | 30 November 2015
For the first time in history, Australian children could live shorter lives than their parents. The reason? High rates of excess weight and obesity.
Despite mounting evidence that junk food marketing is a big part of the problem, a new report to be released today reveals that Australian governments are failing to step in and protect our children.
In fact, Australia’s already weak system of self-regulation to protect children from unhealthy food marketing – including advertisements on TV, radio and digital platforms – has gone backwards.
Self-regulation: nothing but a charade
The new Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) report, End the Charade!, shows how the self-regulation of junk food marketing in Australia is simply not working.
Profit-hungry food advertisers exploit the loopholes that exist in already weak codes and use sneaky tactics so they can bombard children with junk food advertising.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council’s (AFGC) codes, known as the Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative (RCMI) and the Quick Service Restaurant Initiative (QSRI), are “an industry framework to make sure only healthier products are promoted directly to children”.
