Ngày tải lên :
18/02/2014, 02:20
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Summary
Duringthelastdecadeconsumergroups,parentsandteachersbodies,andpublichealth
advocacyorganisationshavecalledforgreatercontrolonthemarketingoffoodsand
beveragestochildren.Anumberofauthoritativereportshavehighlightedtheneedto
restrictsuchmarketingtoensurethatchildrenarenotundulyinfluencedtoconsumefoods
highinfats,sugarandsalt.A2009reviewofregulations(thePolMarkstudy
1
)suggestedthat
successfulregulationrequiredgovernmentleadershipwithspecifiedtimelinesandclear,
measurableobjectives.In2010theWorldHealthAssemblypassedaResolutionwhichurged
memberstatestointroducecontrolsonthemarketingoffoodsandbeveragestochildren,
andissuedasetofRecommendationsidentifyingtheapproachesthatcouldbetaken
2
.
Theseincreasingcallsforactionhaveledtoaseriesofpolicyresponses,including
governmentledvoluntaryagreementswithindustryandstatutoryregulation.Ofparticular
importanceistheresponseofleadingfoodandbeveragecompanies,whohaveproposed
theproposedaseriesofcompanyledpledgestoreducetheirmarketingactivitiesdirected
atchildren.Thesepledgescovertypesofmarketingpracticewhichmaylieoutsidethe
traditionalindustrywidecodesofconductandnationalregulationsonadvertising.
However,comparisonofdifferentcompanypledgesandstatementsshowsadegreeof
inconsistency,asshowninthisreport,whichmakesevaluationoftheimpactofthepledges
hardtoassess.Furthermorethereappeartobelapsesintheadherencetothesepledges
withinEurope,andevidencethattheyarenotappliedinotherregions(givingrisetooff
shoremarketingtoEuropeanchildrenviatheinternet)socallingintoquestionthe
companiesstrengthofcommitment.
Inordertoassistgovernmentsandguideindustry,theStanMarkprojectundertookaseries
ofpolicyandresearchmeetingsinvolvingexpertsandofficialsfromcountriesinEuropeand
NorthAmerica,fundedunderthePilotProjectsprogrammeoftheEuropeanUnions
ExternalAffairsService
3
.
Fromthesemeetingsaseriesofproposalsweregeneratedandarepresentedhereforuse
byWHOmemberstategovernments.Forcrossbordermarketingitisintendedthatthe
foodandadvertisingindustrieswillrecognisetheadvantagesofacommon,universalsetof
standardsapplicabletoallcompaniesandwhich
canprotectchildrenacrosstheglobe.
ThestandardsproposedarebasedontheWHOrecommendations,whichidentifyboth
exposureandpowerasindependentfactorsdeterminingtheeffectivenessofmarketing
messages.TheStanMarkprojectproposesthefollowing:
ã ... Childrenarepersonswhohavenotyetreachedanagewhentheyarelegallyconsidered
tobecompetenttoprotecttheirownwelfare.
ã Foodstobepromotedarethoseproductswhichconformtonationalandinternational
dietaryguidelinessupportingWHOsGlobalStrategytopreventobesityandchronic
disease.
ã ... weaklyorinconsistentlyenforced
Thisreportwillnotexploretheissuesofmonitoringandenforcement,althoughtheseare
seriousconcernsthatneedtobeaddressedbypolicymakers.Atpresent,monitoringand
complainthandlingbodiesdonotenforcecompanyledinitiatives.Alackofanindependent
complaintmechanismcanleaveconsumersfrustrated,andalackofenforcementallows
companyledinitiativestoberolledbackatanytime.Ifamonitoringandcomplaint
handlingbodywereestablisheditwouldneedtogainconsumerconfidence,forwhichit
wouldneed(a)tobetransparentinoperationwithroutineregularpublicationsoftheir
activities;(b)tobeindependentandfreefromindustryinfluence,andseentobeso;and(c)
toensurethattheirservicesareeasilyandinexpensivelyaccessedbyconsumers.Penalties
mustbecommensuratewiththesizeofthemarketingbudgetsinvolvedandwiththe
estimatedexposureofchildrentotheoffendingcommercialmessages.
Afurtherconcernistheneedtoensurethat,whateverthedifferencesindefinitionsor
approaches,allcompaniesshouldmakesomecommitmenttoofferselfrestraint.Inthe
Europeanregiononly11companieshavejoinedthescheme,alongwiththeEuropean
SnacksAssociation.Severalmajorcompanies,includingMcDonalds,KFCandHaribo,and
manysmalleronesarenotincluded.
Problemsofdefinitions
Companieschoosetherulestoimposeuponthemselves.Asaresulttherearelikelytobe
discrepanciesandinconsistencies.Hereweshalllookatsuchproblemsencounteredwithin
thepledgesandpromisesandactivitiesundertakenbycompaniesintheEuropeanUnion.
Whatageisachild?
Thetablebelowprovidesexamplesofdefinitionsoftheagerangeforchildbycompanies
participatingintheEUpledgescheme.Pleasenotethattheinterpretationofacompany
policycanbecomplex,andreadersareadvisedtocheckthecompanystatementsfor
themselves(hyperlinksareprovided).
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