A recent study conducted by UWC, led by researcher Alice S Khan, has shed light on the concerning prevalence of child-directed marketing strategies employed by most South African breakfast cereal brands.
The study reveals how these cereals, which are made with kids in mind, frequently lack nutrition, with a startling 96% of the items boasting false nutritional health claims.
Nzama Mbalati, programmes manager for the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA), stresses the urgent requirement for rules to stop this predatory marketing and implement clear front-of-package warning labels on dangerous products, empowering customers to make educated decisions.
The study highlights the significant role that marketing and advertising play in promoting the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Children, in particular, are highly susceptible to the influence of these advertisements.
Despite the constitutional guarantee of children’s rights in South Africa, food and beverage advertising remains largely unregulated.
In their research, the team assessed the nutritional composition of 222 breakfast cereals, analysing both direct child marketing strategies such as the use of illustrations, characters, and fantasy elements, as well as indirect marketing to parents through nutritional and health claims.
The findings revealed that cereals employing direct child marketing strategies had lower levels of protein and fibre while exhibiting higher total sugar and carbohydrate content compared to those without such tactics.
HEALA is now calling upon the National Department of Health to implement strict regulations on the marketing of products featuring front-of-package warning labels.
This form of marketing has the potential to influence the purchase and consumption of unhealthy products and has thus far remained pervasive and unregulated in South Africa.
Research suggests that mandatory restrictions are necessary to ensure that child-directed marketing is eliminated. Previous promises made by the food and beverage industry to self-regulate have proven ineffective in reducing targeted marketing to children.
The excessive consumption of sugar among children has become a growing concern worldwide due to its detrimental effects on health. Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of regulating sugar intake in children to mitigate the risk of various health conditions.
A comprehensive report from the Lancet Commission on Obesity, released in 2019, highlighted the urgent need for government action to combat the epidemic of obesity around the world. It addressed the connection between rising childhood obesity rates and excessive sugar consumption, particularly from sugary beverages.
To reduce children’s exposure to high-sugar items, it recommended tight regulations, including sugar tariffs and marketing limitations.
Additionally, the World Health Organization has recognised the impact of sugar on health and issued guidelines recommending a reduction in sugar intake, especially among children.
The guidelines suggest that children should consume no more than 10% of their daily caloric intake from free sugars, which includes added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in honey, syrups, and fruit juices.
Moreover, the WHO suggests that a further reduction to 5% would provide additional health benefits.
Research published in the journal “Pediatrics” explored the influence of sugar marketing on children’s food preferences and consumption habits.
The study revealed that exposure to advertisements for high-sugar products significantly influenced children’s preferences and increased their likelihood of consuming unhealthy foods, thereby reinforcing the need of marketing regulations in preventing children from being exposed to sugary advertising.
South Africa stands as one of the few countries in the world that enshrines the right to access high-quality food in its Constitution. Section 27(1)(b) guarantees every individual the right to sufficient food, with the state committed to progressively realising this right.
Additionally, section 28(1)(c) specifically states that every child has the right to basic nutrition, shelter, health care, and social services. It is therefore crucial for the government to safeguard against industry practices that undermine the hard-earned gains enshrined in the constitution.
To further reinforce South Africa's commitment to the right to food, the Draft Regulation Relating to the Labelling and Advertising of Foodstuffs (R3337) has been proposed.
This regulation aims to regulate the marketing of unhealthy products to both children and adults while introducing front-of-package labels warning of high levels of sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
The comment period for Draft Regulation 3337 has recently been extended until September 21, potentially due to lobbying efforts by the food and beverage industry seeking to stall its implementation.