The extent and nature of food marketing to children in South African supermarkets

Abstract

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity is on the rise in South Africa. If no obesity prevention strategies are implemented, South Africa could experience an overwhelming burden of obesity-related morbidities. Research shows that the food environment significantly affects the diet of children and that food marketing, specifically the packaging of foods, can influence children’s food preferences and consumption of foods, leading to overweight and obesity. In response to this, the South African National Department of Health (SANDoH) published draft regulations (R.429 of 2014) that aim to regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods to children. However, limited information exists regarding the marketing of packaged foods to children in South African supermarkets. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the extent and nature of marketing techniques on the packaging of child-orientated foods in South African supermarkets and to determine the healthiness of these foods. Methods: Child-orientated packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages available in four South African supermarkets were identified, using a pre-defined criterion, and photographed. Photographs were then analysed and data regarding promotional characters, premium offers, claims, and nutritional information per 100 g were extracted. The foods were categorised according to the food group classification system of the Global Food Monitoring Group. The South African nutrient profiling model (SANPM) was used to classify foods to determine their healthiness. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the amount and type of marketing techniques on foods and to describe the use of these techniques on healthy versus unhealthy foods. Results: A total of 477 foods were included in the study with most foods (61%) classified as unhealthy by the SANPM. The most common child-orientated foods were confectionaries (33%), cereal and cereal products (16%), dairy (13%) and non-alcoholic beverages (11%). There was a smaller proportion of foods from the fruit and vegetables category (2%) marketed to children. All three marketing techniques (promotional characters, premium offers, and claims) were used to market predominantly unhealthy foods to children. Promotional characters were present on 453 (95%) of foods with the majority being cartoon characters/company-owned characters (59.3%) and ‘for kids’/child-associated promotional characters (34.5%). Claims were also present on 63.3% of the included foods of which 56.3% of all foods carrying a claim, were classified as unhealthy.

Conclusion: Most of the foods marketed to children in the included South African supermarkets were unhealthy and promotional characters and claims were the marketing techniques most often used to promote these foods. Our results suggest that the marketing of unhealthy foods in South African supermarkets do not support children to make healthy food choices. Therefore, the findings of this study support the need for marketing regulations in South Africa that will reduce the possible negative impact of unhealthy food marketing on children. Such regulations will support children by making healthy food choices easier.