21 May 2008 - Concerned by child obesity, the International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA), which represents the global non-alcoholic beverage industry has adopted new guidelines on marketing to children.
The ICBA said that soft drink giants The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, both intend to implement the Guidelines in all countries around the world by the end of 2008.
"We know that children are increasingly exposed to marketing messages across more mediums and your need for greater control and guidance has been heightened. It is for this reason that we have broadened our "Advertising and Marketing to Children Policy" to include all of our beverages, so that children under the age of 12 will not be directly targeted by any of our marketing messages in traditional advertising mediums, nor will they be shown drinking any of our products outside of the presence of a parent or a caregiver", the Coca-Cola Company said in a company statement.
With the new guidelines, beverage companies will voluntarily eliminate advertising and marketing of a wide range of beverages, including carbonated soft drinks, to any audience that is comprised predominantly of children under 12.
This policy includes media sources such as TV, radio, print, Internet, phone messaging and cinema (including product placement).
The ICBA will also look into other forms of marketing, including sponsorships, presence in schools, and point-of sale promotions by the end of 2009.
The ICBA, however, adds that the policy does not cover water, juices and dairy-based beverages, as these segments are not represented by all ICBA members.
Alain Beaumont secretary general of the Union of European Beverages Associations (UNESDA) said: "The non-alcoholic beverage industry produces a wide variety of beverages, all of which can be part of a healthy lifestyle. However, as parents and grandparents ourselves, we recognize that children may be more susceptible to marketing campaigns and may not always be able to make the right dietary choices for themselves. Parents are telling us they want to be the gatekeepers. We are listening and want to protect their role so that we can work together to help teach children around the world how to make more informed choices."
Commenting on the new guidelines, consumer group the Center for Science in the Public Interest's legal Director Bruce Silverglade said:
"The global commitment announced today by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and other soft drink companies to stop targeting advertising to children under 12 is based on a weak policy followed in the United States, which suffers from one of the highest childhood obesity rates in the world".
"Coke and Pepsi never did heavy-duty direct advertising to kids under 12 in the U.S., but instead marketed to American children through other means such as advertising on TV programs viewed by families. The results have been disastrous for childhood obesity rates in the U.S. Instead of mimicking the U.S. policy worldwide, the companies should have agreed to the stricter curbs demanded by the British government and to an International Code of Marketing of Foods and Beverages to Children that has been proposed by consumer organizations world-wide", he added.
"The ICBA guidelines were developed within the framework of a wider food and drinks industry commitment to collaborate with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other stakeholders to help implement the 2004 WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. They are the first, sector-specific step in a broader movement that will include a variety of initiatives and a large number of food and beverage partners", the ICBA said.