Call to limit advertising of unhealthy food brands

Pre-school children can identify Coca-Cola and Coco Pops far more readily than Actimel or cheese strings even though similar TV advertising time is devoted to each of these brands, according to research.

The finding that brand knowledge among children is higher for unhealthy foods, even where healthy foods are advertised as often, has led to calls for restriction of unhealthy food advertising beyond television.

Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, director, Human Health & Nutrition, SafeFood, said the research “reiterates the growing recognition of the need for further restrictions on marketing and advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar”.