SA Greens’ advertising ban flawed

The South Australian Greens’ pre-election argument for a ban on advertising certain foods to children is misleading to the community, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said today. (March 4)

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has attacked the Rann Government for failing to act on the advertising to children issue and accused the food industry of flouting voluntary codes.

However AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said the Greens’ argument was flawed, especially after the success of the industry’s Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative, which more than 16 of Australia’s leading food manufacturers have agreed to follow.

“Australia’s food manufacturers have committed not to advertise certain foods to children under this initiative, unless they are promoting healthy dietary choices and a healthy lifestyle consistent with scientific standards,” Ms Carnell said.

“Recently, Australia’s quick service food industry announced a similar commitment.”

Ms Carnell said the SA Greens’ were also at odds with recommendations of the Federal Government’s preventative health taskforce.

Under the report’s obesity section, the taskforce strategy recommended a reduction in the exposure of children to advertising of energy-dense nutrient poor (EDNP) foods and to monitor the impact of an industry-regulated approach to advertising these products to children.

“The Greens have conveniently failed to acknowledge Australia’s own preventative health measures which are already in place,” Ms Carnell said.

Ms Carnell said the industry expected the Children’s Marketing Initiative to be closely scrutinised and evaluated over coming months by Governments and other groups to assess its effectiveness.

For more information about the initiative, click here.

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For more information, contact AFGC Media Adviser Brad Watts on 0437 379 818.