Disney ad crackdown gives UK food for thought

The Walt Disney Company’s announcement – to cover its television channels, radio stations and websites that are intended for children – was warmly welcomed by US first lady Michelle Obama.

She described the move, which is aimed at tackling the country’s problems of obesity and related illness, as “a game changer for the health of our children”.

The initiative, which will take effect in 2015 for contractual reasons, will require foods being advertised on Disney’s US media to meet its own nutritional guidelines, which take into account the levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat.

It is likely to take longer to spread to Disney’s overseas ventures.

Disney’s guidelines were established in 2006, raising the nutritional value of foods sold at its parks and resorts, and offering “healthy” alternatives to provide young visitors with well balanced meals.

The announcement of an advertising ban on products that breach these standards puts it ahead of the field in the US, adding pressure on other media companies with children’s interests to follow suit.

Commentators believe the likely fall in revenue will be outweighed by the benefits to the company.

Its chief executive, Bob Iger, acknowledged that there might be a short-term dip in advertising income but said he was optimistic that firms would eventually change their products to meet Disney’s requirements rather than miss out on advertising.

Level playing field

Campaigners in the UK, where obesity rates are predicted to rise to 40 per cent by 2030, welcomed the move and are keen for UK companies to follow suit.

But they say that all businesses should operate “from a level playing field” – which means the establishment of guidelines or legislation covering everybody.

The Children’s Food Campaign, part of the Sustain group, which represents more than 100 organisations concerned with improving food and farming, has lobbied MPs on the issue of internet advertising aimed at children.

Its co-ordinator, Malcolm Clark, said: “What interests me is that (Disney) is recognising that it needs to cover the whole gamut of its media empire rather than just TV advertising.

“The good part of the announcement is saying that it is not just about junk food as popular conception might have it – burgers and chocolate – but all the products that are regarded as high in fat, salt and sugar.”

Mr Clark’s team has focused on internet advertising because there are at least rules in place regarding television – even though he said they were opaque.

“Any product that is high in fat, salt or sugar and gets a particular ‘score’ cannot be advertised on a programme that is primarily aimed at children,” he explained.

“Unfortunately, the big gap is family programming, such as the X Factor, which includes a lot of young viewers but may not be regarded as primarily aimed at children.”

‘Extend ban to internet’

Mr Clark said regulations were “far, far weaker” on other media, including the fast-growing market on the internet: “it is a virtual free-for-all.”

The campaign gave evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee, which has produced a report on sustainable food.

In its conclusions, the committee of MPs said: “The government should consider stricter advertising limits, to extend the protection for children from junk-food marketing on children’s television to all media viewed by children, including the internet.”

Mr Clark hopes the findings will put pressure on the government to intervene rather than rely on self-regulation by the industry.

“Consistency is what would help parents to navigate through the range of media available and decide what they would want their children to see,” he said.

“We haven’t seen from the coalition in this country any announcement or potential thoughts when it comes to things like fat taxes and soda taxes.”

A Department of Health spokesperson said it is working with industry to “shrink the nation’s waistline” with more than 20 companies signed up to its calorie reduction pledge.

“We are delighted that a company such as Walt Disney is taking children’s healthy eating seriously,” the spokesperson added. “The Disney ban on junk food adverts is a good example of a company making a difference far more rapidly than we could achieve through legislation.”