Advertisements of children, biscuits and junk food need to be scrutinized

What is the controversy regarding the advertisement of biscuits?

In a recent advertisement, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is seen telling mothers why they should not lose sleep over their baby’s food. Give them a packet of biscuits (of a popular brand) containing the power of ‘atta (whole wheat)’ and a glass of milk, he says. The Nutrition Advocacy in the Public Interest (NAPI) said the ad was ‘misleading’. The milk in the packaged biscuits is ‘sweetened condensed partially skimmed milk and milk solids’ and the flour is ‘refined wheat flour’ or maida – a poor substitute for healthy home-cooked food. In addition, such products far exceed the limits of sugar, salt and fat.

Is the latest biscuit ad a one-off?

Brands often use celebrities to market ultra-processed food such as biscuits, chips or fruit drinks to children. Experts say celebrities often endorse such products despite the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006 and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 prohibiting misleading advertisements and misrepresenting a product or hiding information. According to NAPI, food companies routinely use strategies that undermine parents’ confidence in giving their children the best nutrition. This often leads to poor food choices, leading to childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes) later in life.

Why regulate ultra-processed food?

Research shows that energy-dense ultra-processed foods designed to be addictive cause consumers to overeat and gain weight. A health ministry survey found that one in 10 school-going children was pre-diabetic, while one in 20 had high blood pressure. Another study found that 95% of packaged foods exceed limits for salt, sugar or fat.

What are the rules in India?

In addition to laws prohibiting misleading advertisements, last year, India’s food safety regulator FSSAI released a draft policy on front-of-pack labels to alert consumers to high levels of sugar, salt and fat in packaged food . Once notified as a law, the industry will have four years to comply—an extended timeline. Experts say the proposal to put health star ratings on packets will confuse consumers – they have called for warning labels that are more effective in motivating consumers to reduce their consumption of junk food.

What Laws Regulate Marketing to Children?

Apart from the ban on the sale of junk food in and around schools, there is no law in India to regulate the marketing of ultra-processed food to children. But many countries do. South Korea bans advertising of unhealthy foods on evening TV and all children’s programming. Mexico and Chile ban TV commercials during certain hours. The UK, Ireland and Chile also prohibit the endorsement of junk food by celebrities and sports icons. However, research shows that food companies constantly innovate to circumvent these regulations.