Food industry companies in Finland operate responsibly and already limit marketing targeted at children. Many companies follow strict self-regulation guidelines and seek to develop as responsible actors. However, the guidelines on food marketing to children, published in December 2024, are too strict. Instead of imposing rigid rules, the guidelines should be developed in collaboration with the food and food industry.
The new guidelines were rushedly drafted by researchers from the department of food and nutrition at the University of Helsinki as part of the national child strategy. They define what is considered unhealthy food and which marketing content and methods are deemed to be targeted at children.
The food industry criticizes the guidelines for being drafted without sufficiently consulting marketing and media professionals or representatives from the food sector. While the guidelines are not officially binding, their status remains unclear.
– The guidelines are incomplete, open to interpretation, and problematic in terms of equal treatment of companies and legal certainty.
– Domestic and foreign companies are placed in an unequal position. Foreign marketing targeting children on online and social media platforms can continue as before, while in practice, only Finnish marketing falls under these guidelines, says Marleena Tanhuanpää, director at the Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation.
The criteria used in the guidelines to define unhealthy food are overly strict, classifying a large portion of foods and beverages as unhealthy.
The definitions and categorical classification of food as either healthy or unhealthy contradict the national nutrition recommendations published earlier in the fall.
The guidelines also pose challenges in defining marketing targeted at children and in considering the child’s age. Restricting marketing for individuals under 18 significantly disrupts business freedom and fails to take into account how child’s age and developmental level affect different situations. Furthermore, evaluating marketing content and methods based on the guidelines leaves room for interpretation.
– Marketing plays a key role in conveying information, which is now at risk. Marketing is also a means to promote food culture and share recipes. If the guidelines are followed strictly, they could even lead to the disappearance of separate children’s menus and meal options in restaurants, Tanhuanpää says.
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