Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) says there continues to be “outstanding” compliance among the food and beverage companies participating in the Canadian Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CAI).
First established in 2007 with 16 members, the CAI has grown to include 19 companies (including newest member Danone) that have pledged either to not direct advertising to children under the age of 12 or shift their advertising towards “better for you” products.
Participants in the CAI span the Canadian food and beverage industry, including QSR chains such as Burger King and McDonald’s, beverage manufacturers like Coca Cola and PepsiCo Canada, and packaged goods giants such as Kraft Canada and General Mills Canada.
In its third annual Compliance Report, issued today, ASC noted that participating companies “have made real progress in shifting the mix of products they advertise to children to better-for-you choices, and in changing the landscape of advertising directed to children.”
The report did note a “handful” of instances in which a non-approved product was advertised in children’s programming, but said they were the result of so-called “bonusing” by a TV broadcaster – which aired ads without the client’s prior approval. The report also noted two instances in which CAI participants advertised products not yet reviewed and approved for program inclusion, stemming from what it described as “administrative errors.”
“We’re showing excellent compliance,” Janet Feasby, ASC vice-president and program administrator for the CAI, told Marketing. “Companies are getting used to the program and what they have to do, and there are very few instances of inadvertent [non-compliance].
“We do see that the landscape of advertising to kids is changing, from what it was prior to the launch of the program.”
The ASC provides independent oversight of the CAI through audit activities, monitoring and “stringent” reporting requirements. Company websites, third-party websites, children’s TV programming and children’s magazines are periodically monitored to ensure compliance.
Originally encompassing TV, radio, print and internet advertising, the media covered by the CAI was also expanded in 2010 to include video and computer games rated “Early Childhood”; DVDs of G-rated movies in which content is directed primarily to children under 12, and mobile media such as cellphones, PDAs and through word-of-mouth.
TV continues to be the primary medium for advertising directed at children however, and a 12-day analysis of the four TV channels that carry programming specifically directed to the under-12 audience found that 79% of the food and beverage advertising was for products covered under the CAI (the remaining 21% was for products manufactured by non-CAI members). Of the 24 CAI products advertised by participants during the 12-day period, almost half (46%) were for ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, while 13% were cheese products.
The report noted that several participating companies have also reformulated their products since signing on to the CAI. Among the initiatives undertaken in 2010:
• Burger King announced its commitment to further reduce the sodium content in its Kids Meals to no more than 600 mg, and added two more Kids Meals that comply with its CAI criteria
• Kellogg Canada has undertaken to include fibre in “most” of its ready-to-eat cereals and added Mini-Wheats – both in its original form and Mini-Wheats Little Bites – to the list of products meeting its nutritional criteria
• Mars does not advertise any of its products to children, and in 2010 expanded its commitment to include chewing gum products following its purchase of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.
According to ASC, the nutritional profile of cereals advertised by CAI participants has changed with regard to both sugar content and the addition of fibre and other nutrients since the program launch.
According to the report, prior to the commencement of the CAI, some cereals advertised to children contained 14 grams of sugar per serving. In 2010, 62% of all cereal brands advertised directly to children had 10g of sugar per serving, with the rest having no more than 12g.
Feasby attributed the program’s high compliance rate to the fact that participation is voluntary. “The companies that have signed on to the program really want to play an active role,” she said.
Have you noticed a change in kids advertising? Do voluntary industry initiative like this work as well as regulation? Post your thoughts in our comment section.
