Foodwatch advertising lies at Children's Food

Foodwatch unmasked „most perfidious advertising strategies of food manufacturers“

04/18/2013

The consumer protection organization Foodwatch awards the annual „golden windbag“ for special „brazen advertising bags for children's food“. This year, products of food manufacturer Dr. Ing. Oetker, Ehrmann, Wild, Funnyfrisch and Nestlé nominated, through which consumers can vote online.

Advertising strategies for sweets and snacks for children
„Children are the target of the most perfidious web strategies of food manufacturers“, explains Oliver Huizinga, Foodwatch Food Advertising Expert. „By all means, companies are trying to circumvent parental influence and make children susceptible to those products that promise the highest profit margins.“ And that's just sweets and snacks.

For the fifth time, Foodwatch awards the negative prize this year „golden puff“ for particularly brazen advertising bags. Almost 130,000 consumers voted for food manufacturer Hipp last year. In 2011, the negative award went to Ferrero, 2010 to Zott and 2009 to Danone.

This year, the consumer protection organization presented products of the manufacturer Wild / SiSi-Werke, Ehrmann, Dr. med. Oetker, Funnyfrisch and Nestlé to choose from. The product Capri Sun of the Wild / SiSi works was created by Foodwatch for „School Marketing and Sports Dizziness“ nominated. „For the water-sugar-flavor-mixture with a bit of fruit juice, manufacturer Wild relies on the proximity to the sport“, so food watch. The company appeals to children at sponsored sporting events and even awards its own swimming badge. In addition, the Capri sun manufacturer spreads educational material that is adorned with the brand logo and contains tasks related to the product. This indirect advertising would bypass the parents, reports the consumer organization.

Wild / SiSi-Werke rejects the allegations regarding the criticized by Foodwatch sugar content of Capri-Sun back. „Many children like Capri-Sun. However, they are rarely the buyers of the drinks“, so the company. Rather, it is the mothers who would buy Capri sun, especially in the reserve package. Foodwatch have deliberately refrained from comparing Capri sun with other fruit juices, but instead with Coke. „Fruit juice also has a sugar content of ten percent“, informs the manufacturer. Another product of Wild / SiSi works that „Organic Schorly“ was not mentioned, although this of Ökotest 2012 with „very well“ had been evaluated. „These products contain 60 percent fruit and 40 percent water, no other ingredients“, explains the company. This will be the „Organic Schorly“ fair to critical consumers.

Foodwatch criticized „Marketing of sweetened products as toys“
Monster Backe Knister by Ehrmann was created by Foodwatch „for marketing sweetened products as a toy“ nominated. The manufacturer put everything to it, „to market sweetened products as a toy“, reports the consumer protection organization. Due to the „Crackle, blubber or tongue dyeing applications“ I'm going to „Fun and action yoghurt“ quickly forget that this contains eight pieces of sugar cubes per 135 gram beakers and should therefore be regarded as candy. Ehrmann dismissed the allegations „South German newspaper“ back: „If you eat a balanced diet, you can also reward yourself with something special.“

Also the "pom-bear" of "Funnyfrisch" was bought by the consumer advocates for the „golden windbag“ nominated. The product is „a prime example of hypocritical advertising restrictions“. Because the manufacturer was „a self-constraint for responsible marketing“ imposed, which excludes advertising for under 12-year-olds. Exceptions would only be made for products with special nutritional properties. „After Funnyfrisch's creative definition“ This is true for the greasy-salty pom-bear snack with 2.5 percent salt and 28 percent fat, according to Foodwatch. Pom-Bear contains more than five times as much salt and twice as much fat as chips from the fast-food provider McDonald's. Funnyfrisch has not commented on the nomination of Foodwatch.

Foodwatch unmasked „Sugar-free computing tricks“
The pudding „Paula“ from dr. Oetker was for the „digital child catching“ nominated for the negative prize. The „Kuhflecken“-Pudding contains 13 percent sugar, more than the manufacturer's chocolate pudding, according to Foodwatch. In addition, Dr. med. Oetker a true material battle: „From ringtones via an iPhone app to online karaoke to memorize the Paula children's oilseed rape from the commercial“. There are also Internet games like the „Patch hunting“. The manufacturer rejects all allegations. „Basically, we want to point out that Paula is a pudding. As such, he is clearly declared and as such, he is advertised. It is a sweet dessert, not a candy or a product with added health benefits“, it says in a press release by Dr. med. Oetker. Advertising and marketing consider the company as „an indispensable part of society“. Children and adolescents need to be empowered to deal with the advertising they are surrounded by and to judge them correctly.

The "Nestlé Kosmostars" were designed by Foodwatch for „Sugar-free computing tricks“ nominated. Because Nestlé be in the product „less than 9 grams of sugar per serving“ contain. The company expects, according to Food Watch for a serving just 30 grams. „In fact, there are 25 percent sugar in the Kosmostars, more than in butter biscuits“, reports the consumer protection organization. Accordingly have that „Sugar Reduction Program“ only „an improvement from way too much to way too much“ brought. Nestlé has not commented on this yet.

With brisk advertising mesh children are addressed directly
Foodwatch wants to focus on the topic this year with the election of the most poignant promotional kit for children's food „Children food“ to draw attention. The food industry is still not held responsible for the maldevelopment of child nutrition. Foodwatch had already proven in 2012, „that three quarters of the industrial products marketed specifically to children are sweet and greasy snacks“. By advertising for almost exclusively unhealthy products, the food industry is strengthening this development. The parents would be aware of this, for example, by directly addressing the children in schools and sports clubs.

Numerous studies confirm that overweight (obesity) affects more and more children. Obesity is considered one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and heart attack. (Sb)

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Foodwatch: Lots of sugar in children's cereal
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More concentration through healthy breakfast

Image: Martina Friedl