Junk Food Ads Reach Children Despite Food Industry Self-regulation

JAMA ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 317 (23) ◽  
pp. 2359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Junk Food

scholarly journals Junk food advocacy. Countering the industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Moore AM
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Corporate Responsibility ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Reform ◽  
Junk Food ◽  
Members Of Parliament

Abstract Background The junk food and alcohol industries have taken a page from the tobacco industry play book in an attempt to resist regulation through delay, self-regulation and effective lobbying. The junk food industry internationally is constantly seeking to increase sales at a time when the obesity crisis continues to grow. The industry thrives through widespread marketing with a particular focus on children. Methods An assessment of the number of lobbyists engaged to influence members of Parliament in Australia is being conducted to understand attempts to influence policy. This follows a scan of the lobbyists' register by Daube et al in 2018 that found the junk food industry had 33 direct and 13 indirect lobbyists. A re-examination of the register in 2020 is expected to reveal an increase in these numbers as international junk food companies become more concerned about regulation by government in areas such as front of pack labelling and marketing. There will also be an examination of the State and Territory registers in an attempt to understand the extent of influence in all governments across Australia. Discussion This examination is focused on the Australian Parliament/s. However, the message will be similar world-wide. Many companies have been challenged about their approaches to marketing and the sales of junk food. However, despite some attempt at corporate responsibility (Ronald McDonald House), they continue to sell their products to the detriment of community health. Presentation The presentation will focus on the importance and methods of countering the efforts of industry to increase availability of junk food by opposing regulation. It will also provide a series of steps that public health advocates can take in order to persuade governments of the importance of protecting community health through appropriate regulation of the marketing and sales of junk food. Key messages Junk food industry employs multiple lobbyists to resist regulatory reform. There are tools available for public health advocates to counter this influence.

scholarly journals The Food Industry and Self-Regulation: Standards to Promote Success and to Avoid Public Health Failures

2010 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa L. Sharma ◽  
Stephen P. Teret ◽  
Kelly D. Brownell
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation

scholarly journals Generative Mechanisms for Scientific Knowledge Transfer in the Food Industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 955
Author(s):  
Karla Zimpel-Leal ◽  
Fiona Lettice
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Generative Mechanisms ◽  
Scientific Knowledge Transfer

This paper investigates the generative mechanisms for scientific knowledge transfer in the food industry, addressing the sustainability of knowledge transfer projects related to health, safety and regulation. Different levels of analysis examine structure, agency and interactions within a multilevel framework. The main research questions are: (1) what are the key generative mechanisms within science–industry knowledge transfer? and (2) what are the implications of these mechanisms to policy? This research applies explaining-outcome process-tracing by investigating different knowledge transfer projects, utilising empirical data from 52 in-depth interviews with food scientists and food SMEs, 17 supporting documents and 16 observations. Systematic combining is used to develop a narrative from empirical data, where the evidence leads to the formation of the most plausible explanation. This is followed by the abstraction of mechanisms which are then matched to a suitable theoretical framework. The results from the study show a range of predominant mechanisms that drove scientific knowledge transfer including nonpecuniary incentives, reputation, opportunity, instrumental rationality, self-interest, strategic calculation, aggregation, learning and adaptive self-regulation. The overall conclusion is that the construction of relationships based around social norms, autonomy and relatedness are more dominant than those focused on financial incentives or transaction cost theories.

scholarly journals Assessment of the impact of the European food industry on obesity and population nutrition

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Van Dam ◽  
O Allais ◽  
S Vandevijvere
Keyword(s):  
Food Environment ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Alcoholic Beverage ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Quick Service ◽  
Packaged Food ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Our food environment is becoming increasingly dominated by ultra-processed foods and big industry players often escape accountability through self-regulation and vague commitments. Methods Applying the 'Business Impact Assessment' (BIA-Obesity), as proposed by INFORMAS, the commitments and performance of the biggest companies among packaged food and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers, quick-service restaurants and supermarkets were assessed at a European level and in Belgium as a case study. The tool consists of six different domains comprising the corporate nutrition strategy, food formulation, labelling, marketing, accessibility of (un)healthy products and relationships with other organisations. Results Preliminary results for Belgian companies based on publicly available information show a median score of < 30% and a maximum score of < 60% for comprehensiveness, specificity and transparency of commitments. Hardly any commitments are in place to increase accessibility to healthier products. Even though several commitments are made regarding advertisement towards children below 12 years, on average 36% of sales is for products not-permitted to be marketed to children (WHO) and 71% for products that are ultra-processed (NOVA). Throughout Europe, companies selling ultra-processed foods on average generate 85% (77%-90%) of their sales from ultra-processed foods of which 50% (35%-74%) is not-permitted to be marketed to children. Conclusions Even though many commitments are made, they are not sufficiently specific or comprehensive and do not link well with performance. To reach the goals set out by the Sustainable Development goals and to improve the food environment it is crucial to ensure that commitments don't get lost in translation, but are strengthened and transformed into results. Key messages Food industry players make several nutrition and health related commitments, but these don’t always translate into performance. The BIA-tool clearly distinguishes between the comprehensiveness, specificity and transparency of nutrition related commitments made by the food industry.

How food companies use social media to influence policy debates: a framework of Australian ultra-processed food industry Twitter data

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Daniel Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Processed Food ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
Twitter Data ◽  
Brand Marketing ◽  
Value Judgements

Abstract Objective: To understand if, and how, Australian ultra-processed food industry actors use Twitter to influence food and health policy debates and produce a conceptual framework to describe such influence. Design: Twitter data of prominent industry actors were defined through purposive sampling and inductively coded to investigate possible influence on food and health policy debates. These are described using descriptive statistics and coded extracts. Setting: Australia. Participants: Twitter accounts of nine prominent ultra-processed food industry actors, including major trade associations. Results: Ultra-processed food industry actors actively used Twitter to influence food and health policy debates. Seven overarching strategies were identified: co-opting public health narratives; opposing regulation; supporting voluntary, co- or self-regulation; engaging policy processes and decision-makers; linking regulatory environments to the need for ongoing profitability; affecting public perceptions and value judgements; and using ignorance claims to distort policy narratives. Each lobbying strategy is underpinned with tactics described throughout and captured in a framework. Conclusions: The current study creates a framework to monitor how food industry actors can use social media to influence food and health policy debates. As such, social media appears to be not only an important commercial determinant of health for brand marketing, but also an extension of lobbying practices to reshape public perceptions of corporate conduct and policy-making.

Children, media and food. Food advertising aimed at children audience in Spanish TV

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
gloria_jimenez Jimenez-Marin ◽  
Jesus Delgado Garcia ◽  
Irene Garcia Medina
Keyword(s):  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Food Advertising ◽  
Healthy Living ◽  
Business Network ◽  
Protection Zone ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Food And Drink ◽  
Advertising To Children ◽  
The One

Abstract Healthy living habits are the basis for optimal development in children and advertising can affect, positively or negatively, the maintenance of some of these habits. The analysis of food and drink advertising aimed at children during the enhanced protection zone is evidence of the growing problem of obesity in the child population generated through the food industry. The aim of this study is to assess the levels of compliance with the Code of Food and Drink Advertising to Children (Code PAOS). The methodology used was discourse and content analysis. For this purpose, a sample obtained through the recording, during 7 consecutive days, of the content of the advertising cuts in the television broadcast in Spain of three specialized and two generalist channels: Disney Channel, Neox and Boing, on the one hand, and Telecinco and Antena3, on the other. The reason for their choice is that they are the channels, within this segment, with the highest audience ratings. Specifically, the sample was obtained during week from the 12th to the 18th of December 2018.The results reveal a systematic breach of this code that persuades the vulnerable conscience of children through a business network that far from promoting healthy living habits, they cause malnutrition in society. The immediate conclusion is that 9 out of 10 parts of the Food and Beverage Advertising (FBA) did not comply with any of the PAOS Code standards and that self-regulation by advertising companies seems insignificant.

scholarly journals Sugar, salt, and the limits of self regulation in the food industry

BMJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. j1709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Caraher ◽  
Ivan Perry
Keyword(s):  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation

scholarly journals “The architecture of the state was transformed in favour of the interests of companies”: corporate political activity of the food industry in Colombia

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Mialon ◽  
Diego Alejandro Gaitan Charry ◽  
Gustavo Cediel ◽  
Eric Crosbie ◽  
Fernanda Baeza Scagliusi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Political Activity ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Corporate Political Activity ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Discursive Strategies ◽  
The Media

Abstract Background In Colombia, public health policies to improve food environments, including front-of-pack nutrition labelling and marketing restrictions for unhealthy products, are currently under development. Opposition to these policies by the food industry is currently delaying and weakening these efforts. This opposition is commonly known as ‘corporate political activity’ (CPA) and includes instrumental (action-based) strategies and discursive (argument-based) strategies. Our aim was to identify the CPA of the food industry in Colombia. Methods We conducted a document analysis of information available in the public domain published between January–July 2019. We triangulated this data with interviews with 17 key informants. We used a deductive approach to data analysis, based on an existing framework for the CPA of the food industry. Results We identified 275 occurrences of CPA through our analysis of publicly available information. There were 197 examples of instrumental strategies and 138 examples of discursive strategies (these categories are not mutually exclusive, 60 examples belong to both categories). Interview participants also shared information about the CPA in the country. The industry used its discursive strategies to portray the industry in a ‘better light’, demonstrating its efforts in improving food environments and its role in the economic development of the country. The food industry was involved in several community programmes, including through public private initiatives. The industry also captured the media and tried to influence the science on nutrition and non-communicable diseases. Food industry actors were highly prominent in the policy sphere, through their lobbying, close relationships with high ranking officials and their support for self-regulation in the country. Conclusions The proximity between the industry, government and the media is particularly evident and remains largely unquestioned in Colombia. The influence of vulnerable populations in communities and feeling of insecurity by public health advocates is also worrisome. In Colombia, the CPA of the food industry has the potential to weaken and delay efforts to develop and implement public health policies that could improve the healthiness of food environments. It is urgent that mechanisms to prevent and manage the influence of the food industry are developed in the country.

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