Food companies are using bright colors and cartoon characters in an “unethical” attempt to manipulate children into wanting the sweets and chips they make, a report claims.
Bite Back, a campaign group part of chef Jamie Oliver’s empire, asked nutritionists to analyze 262 sweet food products sold in Britain whose packaging is likely to appeal to children, made by the ten biggest food companies.
Oliver has accused food manufacturers of deliberately using packaging designed to “captivate young minds” in order to sell more junk food.
The research by Action on Salt, a group of food experts at Queen Mary University of London, found that:
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78% of products were considered unhealthy due to their fat, salt or sugar content.
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67% of those with a character were unhealthy.
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80% of the products used bright colors and fun patterns and letters to attract children’s attention.
Bite Back said: “Some companies use child-appealing packaging to push unhealthy products to children. Offenders include Kinder Surprise, M&Ms, Randoms and Monster Munch Giants – all of which hide behind colorful, child-appealing wrappers while filling their products with sugar and fat.”
Oliver said: “Whether it’s fun characters, bright visuals or exciting new shapes, these enthusiastic companies choose it because they know they will captivate young minds.
“This trick … is yet another way companies are bombarding children with unhealthy junk food.”
Bite Back will present its evidence to a House of Lords inquiry into ultra-processed food, diet and obesity on Thursday.
The study found that all 58 child-appealing products made by Mondelēz International – owner of the Cadbury, Oreo, Milka and Dairylea brands – were unhealthy. All 22 products made by Ferrero also contained high amounts of fat, salt or sugar, Bite Back found.
Mars, PepsiCo and Kellogg’s sell dozens of products that appeal to children and are unhealthy, the report shows. However, none of Danone’s products that appeal to children were.
James Toop, the CEO of Bite Back, asked ministers to “introduce new regulations to curb these sinister tactics from junk food giants as we sleepwalk into an avoidable health crisis”.
Mondelēz rejected the findings, saying it was a “responsible food manufacturer” that adhered to UK marketing codes. The products “are marketed to adults and parents and are intended as an occasional treat,” it added.
A spokesperson said they “disagree with the characterization of our products in the report. For example, we do not believe that a product should be attractive to children because the packaging contains bright colors or striking shapes.”
In February, Wes Streeting, the shadow health minister, expressed concern that “as citizens we are being heavily manipulated by the marketing (of food) that comes our way”. There are “serious arguments to be made” for imposing new restrictions on food packaging, he added.
Streeting promised that a 9pm Labor government would bring a turning point in the advertising of such products and also urged food manufacturers to help tackle obesity or risk a “steamroller” forcing them to do so.
The Food and Drink Federation also defended the marketing tactics of food companies.
“Food and drink manufacturers strictly adhere to the rules on advertising less healthy food and drinks in children’s media, including on TV, online, in cinemas, in print media and outdoors,” a spokesperson said.
Danone said ministers and the food industry needed to do more to ensure food was healthier.
James Meyer, the British and Irish president, told the Lords inquiry on Monday that the government should come up with a definition of what constitutes a ‘healthy food’ based on the amount of fat, sugar and salt it contains, and force companies to provide details to publish. of how healthy their products are.
Danone “is committed never to produce a product for children that contains high levels of fat, sugar or salt as defined by UK government legislation,” it added.
The Department of Health and Social Care said the government “has a proven track record of taking action on childhood obesity”.
“Our sugar reduction program has successfully led to reductions in sugar levels in a wide variety of products including breakfast cereals, yoghurts and milk-based drinks, while our Soft Drinks Industry Levy has almost halved the amount of sugar in soft drinks – and research suggests this could be up to 5,000 cases of obesity in girls in the last year of primary school could have been prevented,” the department said.
“Next year we will take further action by introducing restrictions on ‘buy one, get one free’ offers, as well as advertising for less healthy products on TV and online.”