D.The German economy is committed to stricter rules of conduct for food advertisements aimed at children. The new voluntary commitment will come into force on June 1st, announced the Central Association of the German Advertising Industry (ZAW) on Monday. With the rules of conduct, manufacturers, retailers, advertising agencies and the media go “well” beyond the legal requirements.
According to the association, it will no longer be permitted in Germany in future to highlight the positive nutritional properties of foods with a lot of sugar, fat or salt in advertising aimed at children. Claims such as “with the addition of valuable vitamins and minerals” for fruit gums or “high whole grain content for physical performance” for chocolate bars, for example, are taboo.
The direct request to buy or consume a product must be avoided in advertising to children – as must the request to encourage parents to buy a product. Even advertising that gives the impression that the consumption of a certain food is irreplaceable for a balanced diet will no longer be allowed in the future. Contents and presentations that counteract the learning of a healthy, active lifestyle or a balanced diet are therefore also prohibited in the future – for example, eating in front of the screen or that a child gains social recognition because of a product.
In addition, the economy is raising the previous age limit from twelve to 14 years, announced the ZAW. This would record minors under the age of 14 if advertising is aimed directly at them – regardless of the medium used or the context of the advertising.
Economy reacts
“The advertising industry takes on responsibility,” said ZAW President Andreas Schubert of the AFP news agency. “Because the world is constantly evolving, we are continuously revising the self-regulation with regard to the area of application, from the advertisement to the influencer, as well as the need for protection of individual target groups.”
The ZAW represents the interests of advertising companies, retailers, the media, advertising agencies as well as the advertising professions and market research in Germany. Since 2009 there have been rules stating that “in commercial communication everything that could be understood as an invitation to excessive and one-sided nutrition is to be avoided”.
In Germany, food advertising on radio, television and social media is regulated in the state media treaty – and in the advertising industry’s voluntary rules of conduct. According to the ZAW, the new rules for advertising aimed at children will apply to all media, including print and outdoor advertising.
Federal Food Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) only reiterated her call for stronger restrictions on food advertising aimed at children on Friday. “Advertising must not induce children to eat unhealthily,” she told the “Passauer Neue Presse”.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/commitment-stricter-rules-for-food-advertising-for-children/
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