From the website:
Children are vulnerable to advertising. They are less able than adults to fully understand that the purpose of advertising is not to inform but to persuade, and to ultimately sell a product.
Studies show that children are much more likely to want to eat food that comes in branded packaging than food with no branding – even if it is the same product.
A study of 3 to 5 year olds showed that over 75% of children preferred French fries in McDonalds branded wrapping, compared to the just over 10% who preferred fries from plain packaging – the food was exactly the same!. More info here; http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/161/8/792
The same study also showed that children with more TVs in their home were more likely to prefer the McDonalds-branded food packaging. An extensive survey of the evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO) confirms this.
The WHO report on Marketing of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children explains that advertising promoting foods high in fat, sugar or salt directly influence children’s attitudes and behaviour – they want and ultimately eat these unhealthy foods. This can be a direct influence with children buying the foods, sweets and drinks themselves or asking their parents for these foods.
Visit the website here: http://junkfoodgeneration.org
Download the World Health Organization report : WHO – Marketing Junk food to kids (PDF file)
