Television food advertising aimed at children: An internationa1 comparative survey

A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR
Television food advertising aimed at children:
An internationa1 comparative survey

This report is available from Consumers International.
The price per copy is Ł45 / US $68
(Ł15/US $23 to Voluntary and Public Interest Organisations).

Children have become an increasingly important market for advertisers.
This report examines the practice and regulation of television advertising aimed at children, with special emphasis on food advertising, in thirteen countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and the USA.

Some key findings of the survey were that:

Food advertising fo~ms by far the largest proportion of all television advertisements aimed at children in 11 out the 13 countries. Australia has the highest level of television food advertising directed at children among the 13 countries.
The United Kingdom has the highest amount of television advertising shown during children's programming within Europe -an average of 17 commercials an hour - 10 which for food. Sweden and Norway, where virtual bans exist on television advertising toward children, have the least.
Confectionery, breakfast cereals (mainly pre-sweetened) and fast food restaurants accounted for over half of all food advertisements found in the survey. A nutritional analysis of the advertised foods in the UK found that 95 percent of adYertisements were for good high in fat and/or sugar and/or salt.
The most profile advertiser during children's programming was McDonald's with commercials for fast-food chain found in virtually every country.

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with payment, to Consumers International,
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Television food advertising aimed at children:
An international comparative survey


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