Food Standards Agency agrees action on promotion of foods to children

Monday 5 July 2004

Ref: 2004/0499

The Board of the Food Standards Agency today finalised plans to address the way in which foods are promoted to children. The plan has been developed following publication of the Hastings Report in September 2003 on the role of advertising of foods to children and the wider public debate about how the promotion of food can influence children's diets.

The Board of the Agency agreed that action was required on the promotion of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt if the balance of children's diets are to be improved. Poor diets in children can have a range of adverse health consequences and there is a growing problem of childhood obesity. The Agency recognises that the promotion of foods is one of the many influences on children's diets and that action was also required to encourage greater physical exercise.

The measures include actions that encompass the signposting of healthier options on supermaket shelves, nutritional guidelines for children's food ranges, the promotion of healthier vending machines in schools, promotions by the food industry to encourage children to eat healthier foods, and action to address the imbalance of television advertising of food to children.

Sir John Krebs, chairman of the FSA, said: 'The Food Standards Agency wants to see measures that make healthy choices the easy choice. Too many foods aimed at children are too high in fat, salt and sugar. Parents want to give their children healthier diets and it's not always clear what the healthy choice may be at the supermarket, in a restaurant or at school. And there is a clear imbalance of television advertising of foods to children.

'It is possible to make it easier for parents and children to make healthy choices. Clearer signposting of healthier options, reductions in high levels of fat, sugar and salt in some children's ranges, more support to schools to help them improve what they offer to children, and action to redress the balance of television advertising.

'We recognise that there are many players involved and a wide range of views. We will have to work constructively together if we want to improve the dietary health of our children. There is enormous scope for innovation and the positive promotion of healthier choices for children. This action plan sets clear targets and timetables for the measures that can start to improve the balance of children's diets and their health.'

The recommendations in the action plan include:
The Food Standards Agency:

• The Agency will work with Education Departments to agree action to improve school meals that will cover both the provision of healthy options and how best to promote uptake of these options.
• The Agency will publish nutritional criteria for the food industry (including the food service sector) that are intended to reduce levels of fat, sugar and salt in foods, product ranges, and meals aimed specifically at children.
• The Agency will publish best practice advice on signposting of foods, meals or snacks high in salt, sugar or fat, and of healthier options.

Schools:

• Schools (and other publicly funded premises such as leisure centres) should ensure that vending machines are managed on the basis of a health vending approach which includes the promotion of healthier options.
• Schools should provide and promote a range of healthy options at mealtimes and develop incentives to promote uptake of them in accordance with the Agency's guidelines. Local Education Authorities and Education Departments should support schools’ efforts to make these changes.

Government and Ofcom:

• Government departments and agencies should only endorse promotional campaigns that encourage children to eat healthier options.
• Government and Ofcom should note the Agency's view that:
  • action to address the imbalance in TV advertising of food to children is justified
  • action on relative amounts of advertising for foods, meals or snacks high in fat, sugar or salt and for healthier foods, and the times at which these adverts are scheduled, is likely to be the most effective option to address the imbalance

Broadcasters:

• Others should follow the example of the BBC Worldwide initiative to consider introducing nutritional criteria for use of characters from its children’s programmes.
• Food manufacturers, retailers and the food service sector should take up best practice advice on:
  • reducing the amounts of fat, sugar and salt in foods, product ranges and meals aimed specifically at children
  • use of menu/notice signposting of meals high in fat, sugar or salt and of healthier children’s choices
• They are recommended to:
  • use promotions which encourage children to make or request repeat purchases (free gifts, token collect etc) for healthier foods
  • use celebrities, characters and cartoons to encourage children to eat healthier foods