- For better school food, and food skills, and protecting children from junk food marketing
- Evidence of the contribution of food and farming to climate change
- Highlighting the connections between diet, mental health and behaviour
- How action can protect the environment, enhance social justice and improve health
- Campaigning for a law on healthy and sustainable food for schools, hospitals, care homes…
- Practical help to increase healthy and sustainable food in schools, hospitals, care homes…
- Free training on healthy and sustainable food for public sector caterers
- Local and regional activity that promotes healthy and sustainable food
- Helping producers, consumers, retailers and caterers provide healthy and sustainable food
- Working for sustainable food at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
- Practical advice for anyone interested in buying and using more sustainable food
- Spreading information about urban food growing in London, the UK and worldwide
- Working in 10 deprived London areas to improve access to affordable and sustainable food
- 2,012 new food growing spaces for London by 2012
- Find or set up a Food Co-op in your area
- Pledge to make our future an organic future
- To increase the enjoyment, production and consumption of bread made with natural ingredients
The Children’s Food Campaign are disappointed by the Advertising Standards Authority’s ruling today that the Kellogg’s Coco Pops advert featuring a cartoon character in school uniform did not break its code and was not “socially irresponsible” despite encouraging children to eat more of a high-sugar product.
Campaign Co-coordinator Jackie Schneider said:
“It’s amazing that the ASA don’t consider the headline, “ever thought of Coco Pops after school?” an invitation to children to eat another bowl of the high sugar cereal, although not surprising given that the ASA is run and funded by the advertisers themselves.”
She continued: “However, we are pleased that the Department of Health are taking our concerns more seriously: they have told us they are planning to hold a meeting with Kellogg’s, who are partners in their anti-obesity Change4Life campaign, to discuss our concerns that the adverts contradicted messages to eat healthier snacks and reduce sugar intake.”
Many parents were outraged by the advertisements. 26 complaints were received by the ASA, and many comments were posted on the Netmums online forum and micro blogging service Twitter. In response to the criticisms, the Children’s Food Campaign held a poster competition and invited people to compose their own slogans. The winning slogan was “Do they give a monkey’s for children’s health?”, with the winner receiving a genuinely healthy afternoon snack – a banana in its own special carrying case.
Ends
For further information please contact Jackie Schneider or Christine Haigh on 020 7827 1228 or 07795 213425 (Jackie) / 07870 577934 (Christine) or Jackie@sustainweb.org / Christine@sustainweb.org
Notes to editors:
1) The Children's Food Campaign wants to improve children's health and well-being through better food - and food teaching - in schools, and protecting children from junk food marketing. We are supported by over 300 organisations, almost 300 MPs and 12,000 members of the public. The Children's Food Campaign is coordinated by Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming and funded by the British Heart Foundation.
2) The winning entry to the alternative slogan competition is available at http://www.sustainweb.org/childrensfoodcampaign/coco_pops
3) Coco Pops are more than one third sugar, containing 35g sugars per 100g of the product.
