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Junk Food Generation
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There has been in both developed and developing countries a substantial increase in advertising of foods
high in fat, sugar and salt. Much of this targets young children. Correspondingly, there is a disturbingly
rapid increase in the incidence of childhood obesity. As worries about this new pandemic sharpen, so does the
search for ways of changing consumer behaviour. Television, or more precisely television food advertising,
has been singled out as the most easily modifiable influential factor on diet. Consumer organisations
recognise that advertising can be a useful source of information to consumers. However, advertising is not
an impartial source of information since its essential aim is to persuade rather than inform. Advertising
is an immensely potent tool, which can sway the judgement of even the most clued-up consumers. It has the
power to reinvent the familiar and make the unfamiliar trustworthy. It preys on the human need to belong and
lures people into buying into a lifestyle, an identity.
Children are especially vulnerable to advertising because they are less able than adults to fully understand
its persuasive techniques and to therefore judge it critically. Advertising regulations and guidelines at
national and international levels seek to prohibit the exploitation of children's credulity, lack of
experience or sense of loyalty and to protect them from high pressure selling. Many countries have introduced
restrictions on the marketing of tobacco and alcohol with respect to children. Yet food advertising, despite
its relationship to child health and nutrition, has received little attention at a regulatory level.
But before formulating intervention strategies, it is important to understand the forces driving consumer
behavior and the link between advertising, knowledge and behavior.
The report of Consumer International “The Junk Food Generation” outlines the major findings from studies
conducted on the influence of televised food ads on children, drawing primarily upon the results from a
survey conducted by Consumers International Asia Pacific Office in six Asian countries - India, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Korea. The survey on parents and children was carried out by
the following consumer’s organizations and partners:
India - Voluntary Organisation in the Interest of Consumers Education (VOICE) and Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP)
Indonesia - Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen Indonesia (YKLI)
Malaysia - Education and Research Association for Consumers (ERA Consumer)
Pakistan - The Network for Consumer Protection in Pakistan (TheNetwork)
Philippines - Management and Organisational Development for Empowerment, Inc. (MODE)
South Korea - Citizens’ Alliance for Consumer Protection in Korea (CACPK)
This report outlines the findings of research conducted by Consumers International Asia Pacific Office on
food advertising directed at children in six countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The report draws on
evidence from other studies largely performed in Western countries. The recommendations are based on those
previously put forward by Consumers International (CI) in other countries. The report highlights the shared
concerns of consumer organisations in the participating countries on the impact of such advertising, its
insufficient regulation and the need for greater consumer education. The main findings of our study are
listed below.
The power of television
Through television, advertisers can reach a whole spectrum of consumers. Children are exposed to an
overwhelming amount of advertising as there is little regulation controlling the programme to advertisement
ratio. 30 per cent of Malaysian children watch over eight hours of television a day during holidays, and are
exposed to over two and half hours of advertisements a day.
The majority of children believe television advertisements to be informative and most children respond to
them favourably. 73 per cent of Pakistani children claim to love advertisements, as do 68 per cent of Filipino
children. Malaysian children are not so fond of advertisements, probably because they watch the most
television and get frustrated by the constant interruption caused by commercial breaks.
Food advertisement
In India, 40-50 per cent of advertisements during children's programming were for food. For Pakistan, the
Philippines and Malaysia the percentage of food advertisements varied between 50 and 75 per cent. In the
Philippines, programme to advertisement ratios during children’s programming go up to 50 per cent.
Pester power
More than 50 per cent of parents in all countries surveyed say that their children are an important factor in
influencing their purchasing decisions. Indian, Malaysian and Pakistani parents cited "child's demand" as
the primary reason for buying a product.
Nutrition knowledge
73 per cent of Pakistani children perceive soft drinks to be healthy for frequent consumption. In the
Philippines 80 per cent of children and 71 per cent of parents, drink soft drinks at least once a week, as
do 71 per cent of South Koreans. 40 per cent of parents and 63 per cent of children in the Philippines believe
fast food to be fit for frequent consumption.
Current legislation
All six countries have legislative frameworks governing advertising in general and most have guidelines for
advertising to children in particular. Only the Philippines and South Korea have laws pertaining to the
advertisement of fast food and confectionery. South Korea and the Philippines are the only two countries
to have specific regulations pertaining to the sponsorship of children's programmes. The vast majority of
parents from all six countries are in favour of a reduction of the number of advertisements during children's
broadcasting.
Courtesy: Consumer International. The Junk Food generation
A multi country survey of the influence of television advertisement on children
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