Junk food ads give parents a headache

Pester power junk food ads are the cause of showdowns between parents and children in supermarket aisles, according to a survey by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) ahead of parliamentary debate on a junk food marketing bill.

Of the 900 parents questioned for the BHF Food4Thought survey, 29% say they do not take their children shopping to avoid arguments about buying junk food. The same number, almost one in three, say they have to bribe their children with something else to tempt them away from junk food. Of those who do go shopping with their children, 19% make conscious efforts to skip the confectionary aisle.

The survey reveals that marketing plays a significant part in their children’s desire for junk food with 54% parents saying they are asked to buy products that come with a free toy or promotion; 45% are asked for products their children have seen advertised on TV and 41% are asked for products that have a cartoon character on the packaging.

BHF policy director Betty McBride says: “Modern cartoon superheroes need to harness their powers for good by promoting healthy foods to our children, rather than chocolate and crisps. Banning junk food pester power ammunition from supermarket shelves will make it easier for parents to make healthier food choices for their families.”

The Promotion of Food to Children Bill, introduced by Labour MP Nigel Griffiths, gets its second reading today (April 25). It aims to impose a pre-9pm watershed ban on advertising foods high in salt, sugar and fat (HFSS) on TV and “significant restrictions” on non-broadcast marketing, such as point-of-sale tactics. It is supported by a number of charities including the BHF.