Soft drink behemoths attacked over global ad pledges

By Neil Merrett

21st May 2008 – CocaCola and PepsiCo have come under fire this week for pledging to cut out promoting its beverage brands to children under twelve across the globe by the end of the year

Some critics claim that the policy is failing to address real concerns over the impact of advertising carbonated soft drinks and other high sugar and fat products on children’s health, as the industry rarely specifically targets these age groups anyway.

Both companies’ commitments follow the publication of new global guidelines from the International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA) on marketing of their soft-drinks, which are themselves based on Union of European Beverages Associations (UNESDA) policy.

A spokesperson for UNESDA said it had initially set out the plans for marketing to children back in 2006 as part of the European Commission’s Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.

As part of this focus, which Coca-Cola and PepsiCo will now extend beyond Europe to all international markets, soft drinks that are not purely fruit juice or water products must not be advertised in publications, TV shows or channels aimed predominantly at children under twelve.

Pledge grey area

The spokesperson conceded that there was a grey area for the focus in regards to a number of programmes, which were popular amongst under twelves, yet not directly targeted at the age group.

According to UNESDA , the advertising is nonetheless closely monitored independently by groups like PriceWaterhouseCoopers, which they claimed found a 99.7 per cent compliance rate with their polices on advertising to young people. 

“We also send strict briefs to advertising agencies regarding the guidelines,” the spokesperson added.

Criticism

However, some groups have openly attacked the new global commitment by the ICBA to follow these rules suggesting that the policy is ‘weak’.

Bruce Silverglade, legal director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) said that stricter curbs on current carbonated beverage advertising should have been employed.

“Coke and Pepsi never did heavy-duty direct advertising to kids under 12 in the US, but instead marketed to American children through other means such as advertising on TV programs viewed by families,” he said.

“The results have been disastrous for childhood obesity rates in the US, Instead of mimicking the country’s policy worldwide, the companies should have agreed to the stricter curbs demanded by the British government.

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