Voluntary Industry Action Changes Food Advertising to Children

Voluntary Industry Action Changes Food Advertising to Children

BRUSSELS, September 10/PRNewswire/ -- The food industry has significantly changed the types of
products it advertises to children across the EU, according to data just
released by Accenture Media Services. The figures, to be presented to the
European Commission on Friday, show the extent to which companies have
voluntarily restricted the foods they advertise to under 12s altogether or
only to "better for you" options.

These results form the first monitoring report of the EU
pledge (http://www.eu-pledge.eu), a commitment taken by 11 food
manufacturers[1] in December 2007 to change the products they advertise to
children under 12 years. Representing approximately two-thirds of the food
advertising market in the EU, the company commitments apply to all
advertising on TV, print and the Internet and came into force as of January
2009. As a public commitment to the European Commission's Platform on Diet,
Physical Activity and Health, the initiative is subject to independent
monitoring.

Monitoring was conducted by Accenture Media Services in
France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Spain, although the commitment
applies all 27 EU member states. The overall results show:

- A 93% decline in advertising for products that do not meet
companies' nutritional criteria in programmes with an audience composed
of a majority of children.
- A 56% decline in advertising for these products overall, i.e. in
all programmes on all channels at all times.

For all EU Pledge member companies' advertising across all
products (i.e. no distinction on a nutritional basis) this represents:

- A 61% decline in programmes with an audience composed of a
majority of children.
- A 30% decline overall, i.e. in all programmes on all channels at
all times.

In addition, signatory companies committed not to engage in
any commercial communications related to food and beverage products in
primary schools, except where specifically requested by or agreed with the
school administration for educational purposes. Independent monitoring by
Price Waterhouse Coopers showed that food advertisers were 93% compliant with
their commitment.

Said Stephan Loerke, WFA Managing Director: "Industry has long
held that voluntary action can be more effective in a shorter timeframe than
government regulation. These independent data show how self-regulation can
help deliver on public policy objectives and why it cannot be discounted from
the policy mix."

The EU Pledge was facilitated and endorsed by the World
Federation of Advertisers and is a joint industry commitment to the EU
Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, chaired by the EU Director
General for Health and Consumer Protection, Robert Madelin.

The full EU Pledge Monitoring Report can be downloaded at
http://www.eu-pledge.eu

Note for editors:

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) is the voice of
advertisers worldwide representing 90% of global marketing communications
expenditures, roughly US$700 billion per annum, through a unique, global
network: 57 national advertiser associations on five continents as well as
over 50 of the world's top 100 advertisers. Through the network, WFA
represents more than 10,000 businesses operating in a broad spectrum of
sectors at national, regional and global levels.

WFA has a dual mission: to champion responsible commercial
communications and to facilitate a media environment which stimulates maximum
effectiveness of ad spend. More information at http://www.wfanet.org

[1] Burger King, Coca-Cola, Danone, Ferrero, General Mills, Kellogg's,
Kraft Foods, Mars, PepsiCo, Nestle, Unilever

For more information, please contact Will Gilroy at w.gilroy@wfanet.org
or call +32(0)2-502-57-40.

Source: The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)

For more information, please contact Will Gilroy at w.gilroy@wfanet.org or call +32(0)2-502-57-40.

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