Denmark is serious: ban for junk food advertising on children planned!

Denmark is serious: ban for junk food advertising on children planned!

Dänemark - The Danish government plans a comprehensive ban on advertising for unhealthy food to protect children from unhealthy purchase decisions. Economic Minister Morten Bødskov emphasizes that without such measures children are increasingly misleading what health consequences can have. Denmark currently relies on voluntary self-controls in industry that enable companies to avoid advertising for junk food to children under the age of 13, but this concept was often undermined, especially through influential social media people.

The influence of social media on children's nutritional behavior increases more and more. An example of this is a controversial competition by a chip manufacturer who had to be stopped based on public criticism. Bødskov points out that advertising on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram specifically addresses children and tempts them to consume unhealthy products.

increasing obesity rates and international comparisons

The obesity rates in Denmark have been rising for years, and forecasts indicate that two out of three adults could be overweight by 2045. The Danish government refers to data from the WHO that prove the connection between advertising and consumer behavior of children. In order to counteract this, the government plans to introduce a ban and thus send a signal to other European countries.

The problem is not limited to Denmark. Studies show that children and adolescents in Germany are significantly influenced by media and advertising. Children between the ages of 3 and 13 see an average of 15 food advertisements per day, with 92% of this advertising concerns unhealthy products. The influence of influencers also plays a crucial role here: 67% of the video account for junk food on YouTube is advertised by them, which has been shown to increase the consumption of advertised products.

regulatory needs and international role models

The experts of the German Alliance Unsprepulable Diseases and the AOK federal association require similar legal measures to limit the influence of unhealthy advertising. In countries like Chile, legal regulations have an effect and led to a decline in junk food consumption. Comprehensive bundling of measures, which includes a soft drink tax, is considered necessary to better protect children.

In addition, studies show that inappropriate advertising content increases the risk of overweight and obesity. An analysis of the Medical University of Vienna proves that around 50% of the online content of food brands is aimed directly at children and adolescents. The majority of this advertising is unsuitable for children, which underlines the urgency of regulations. Particularly noteworthy are the frequently advertised products such as chocolate, confectionery and lemonades that are counterproductive for healthy nutritional behavior.

Overall, it becomes clear that extensive measures to regulate food advertising to children and adolescents are essential in order to contain the increasing rates of overweight and obesity, and that a ban on advertising for unhealthy foods is long overdue.