Food Manufacturers Use Marketing Strategies To Make Unhealthy Foods Appear Nutritious For Children

According to a recent survey, food makers are tricking parents into purchasing harmful foods for their children.

According to the survey, which was only made public by 7.30, toddler food producers employ a variety of marketing techniques to trick time-pressed parents into believing they are purchasing wholesome meals for their kids.

The report, titled "Beyond the Label: Seeing Past Marketing on Baby and Toddler Foods in Australia," highlights several deceptive practices. For example, some products are marketed as having "real fruit" when they actually contain very little fruit and are high in sugar. Others use terms like "organic" and "no added sugar" to create a health halo, even though the products are still high in sugar and low in nutritional value.

"One technique is to say on the packet what's not in the product," said Jane Martin, who leads the Alliance. "For example, 'No GM. No preservatives. No artificial colors'. But that distracts from what's actually in the product, such as excessive sugars and no real fruit.

"Another strategy is saying again and again that a product is natural and organic, which again can distract from, say, a 50 percent level of sugar and very limited fruit content."Fifty percent sugar is what you get in a gummy bear. "A third strategy is naming a product to look as though it's healthy.

"One example is Strawberry Yoghurt Rice Cakes, which has images of strawberries on the pack. The only strawberry is 2 percent, and that's strawberry powder, and the yoghurt is dried and high in sugar. "And there's the imagery on the pack, such as real fruit. One such product is called Kiddylicious, and has as much sugar as marshmallows—nearly 70 percent." "Australia's food and drink manufacturers are committed to providing safe, nutritious foods, including for young children," the Australian Food and Grocery Council, the trade association that represents toddler food manufacturers, said in a statement to 7.30 in response to inquiries regarding the Food for Health Alliance's claims.

The sector adheres to stringent guidelines set forth by the Australian Consumer Law and the New Zealand Food Standards Code, which support accurate ingredient lists, unambiguous labeling, and allowed content and health claims. Manufacturers are able to give parents precise information thanks to these rules, enabling them to make decisions that are best for their families.

Dr Rhodes, a pediatrician at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne with an interest in child nutrition and development, says putting the onus on parents to attempt to figure out what is in these products is not fair.

"It's not reasonable to expect parents to have the equivalent of a dietitian degree to turn over a product and try and decipher what's actually in it," Dr. Rhodes said.

"We need to ensure that products are healthy in their content and that there are laws making it very clear that marketing has to be true and accurate so that parents can trust the products they're buying."

Reference:
Confectionery is being marketed to parents as nutritious toddler food, report finds, ABC Health