The World Health Organization (WHO) recently recommended that countries introduce mandatory marketing bans on many foods containing saturated and trans fats. The Department of Consumer Affairs is working with the Department of Women and Children to tackle junk food advertising, especially for children, amid rising rates of childhood obesity and teenage diabetes.
According to the World Health Organization, offensive junk food advertising contributes to the spread of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organization has called for comprehensive legislation that would limit advertising of unhealthy foods, encourage the consumption of healthy foods, and limit the circumstances under which people can make informed dietary decisions.
In June 2022, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued guidelines for advertising on children's channels. "Junk food advertisements including cheese, soda and other snacks and drinks will not be shown on children's programs or children's channels."
It's time to take note.
Since junk food or snacks can be a big deal in advertising and marketing, we asked industry experts how they plan to communicate effectively while educating their target audience.
According to Samit Sinha, Managing Partner, Alchemist Brand Consultants, “For most of the 20th century, tobacco brands were freely promoted until there was clear evidence of their health risks. It was during this time that increasingly stringent regulations were applied to tobacco advertising around the world to varying degrees.
Brands need to start self-regulating, says Sinha "With overall GDP growth and population growth, India is highly vulnerable to a serious health crisis, especially with increasing consumption of unhealthy foods, especially among children, who are easy targets and easily influenced by advertising."
Agreeing it's time to rethink health warnings, TRA Research CEO Chandramali Neelkantan said: “The first rules were introduced about 15 years ago when advertisers started targeting children for their harmful power. It's time to stop false advertising. The event. Every brand requires clinical trials to ensure that the product lives up to its claims. It should be there. This is welcomed by the regulator and is an important step.
What should brands do?
Shraddha Aggarwal, CEO of Vine, said: “If a brand wants to say it's rubbish, I'm fine as an audience because I know what I'm feeding my kids. But it is wrong to say wrong. You maintain your transparency and advertise as much as you want. There are warnings on cigarette packs, but it is consumer choice, like brands, let the consumer choose everything clearly.
"Ahead of this inevitable move, brands would do well to start adjusting their advertising messages and media choices so as not to influence the consumers most likely: teenagers. This positions them as responsible corporate citizens. But it's easy to do because it's all about the details. .There is also a fine line between safe and acceptable and not harmful.
For Chandramouli, "Brands must act before they are created."
Industry observers say such moves will help governments, consumers and brands tell stories without creating problems.
