No more candy ads targeting at children

[Jman888]

New guidelines bar ads on chocolates, fizzy drinks for children from next year

By Monica Kotwani POSTED: 30 Sep 2014 18:01

From January next year, food advertisements targeting children aged 12 and below will have to meet specific guidelines. These include a framework on what type of food and beverages can be advertised.

SINGAPORE: According to Health Parliamentary Secretary, Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, who quoted figures from the Education Ministry, 12 per cent of children of school-going age are obese. Assoc Prof Faishal added almost 80 per cent of parents and caregivers surveyed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) two years ago said their children had asked for a particular food or beverage, after watching an advertisement.

To battle the bulge, the Health Ministry on Tuesday (Sep 30) announced new guidelines aimed at reducing children's exposure to advertising of food and beverages high in fat, sugar and salt. These will take effect from Jan 1, 2015.

F&B PRODUCTS MUST MEET COMMON NUTRITION CRITERIA

The guidelines require all food and beverage (F&B) products promoted in marketing communications targeted at children aged 12 and below to meet the Common Nutrition Criteria. It sets out the maximum caloric, salt, fat and sugar content for F&B products.

For example, products like chocolates and sugar-based spreads, as well as carbonated drinks, will not be allowed in these ads. Other F&B products will need to meet the guideline's nutritional requirements in order to be approved.

These guidelines will also apply to all media platforms. Ads targeting children below 12 will also be assessed based on their placement and content. For example, a savoury biscuit has to have a calorific value of 170 or less, as well as not exceed salt and fat content laid out in the Common Nutrition Criteria, if it is on any of the following platforms:

• Children's subscription channels
• Free-to-air channels with timings for children's programmes
• Children-specific print publications
• Outdoor ad boards within 50 metres of a primary school

It would also need to contain the specified levels of components such as fibre. The same rules apply for Singapore-based websites that target children.

In terms of content, an ad is seen to be targeting children if it uses games and toys. For example, an ad for a cereal brand using animated characters must again meet standards set out in the Common Nutrition Criteria. An ad could be assessed as targeting this group, even if it is not meant for children's channels or children's publications. For instance, a meal ad showing a family environment, but focusing on children eating a particular product, may not be allowed during prime-time hours.

SINGAPORE COULD BE A 'TRAILBLAZER'

One expert has said that Singapore could be a trailblazer when its guidelines come into play next year. The guidelines will be incorporated into the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP), and administered by the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS).

Mr Will Gilroy, director for communications at World Federation of Advertisers, said: "The first thing was that there was a mandate to make sure this was not a code applicable to just some media but that it was media-neutral. Therefore, we had to come up with principles that applied to all media. We are talking not just about the placement of advertisements but also the design of advertisements.

"The second area was the definition of food, which can continue to be advertised and that led to, again, a highly collaborative process between industry and MOH and the Health Promotion Board in defining guidelines of what can and cannot be advertised."

Associate Professor Tan Sze Wee, chair of the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore, explained: “It does not mean that with the set of rules, nothing can go out. It just means that if the market is large enough, opportunities are large enough, you can reformulate your product."

"This in itself is an opportunity for businesses to see how they can go into such an area to develop markets not only in Singapore but develop markets overseas,” added Health Parliamentary Secretary Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim.

The guidelines were developed by a public-private partnership consortium comprising stakeholders from MOH, the Health Promotion Board, ASAS, the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), Food Industry Asia (FIA), as well as representative from the media and advertising industries.

Advertisers and food manufacturers will have a three-month grace period until the end of December 2014 to adapt and ease into the requirements. They can also refer to the Common Nutrition Criteria for determining which F&B products can be advertised to children.

- CNA/dl/xk

 

 

 

good move first to cut down the bad habit of eat junk food/drink, second parents can avoid been pester by kids in the supermarket cos the kid get less exposure of the products.

 

[LoverofCar]

wow......Now they applying the same rule of cigarette on food too. Cigaretter suppliers are not allowed to advertise on TV, Van or any promotion stuff showing cigarette......can they also stop promoting the pioneer generation package on TV too? geting annoying..and I get headache watching it..

Edited October 1, 2014 by LoverofCar

[Mockngbrd]

Candy crush how?

[Myxilplix]

Cut the damn mcdonalds ads.