Local governments have a healthier food advertising policy when their policy guidance meets the minimum standards, plus they have a strong implementation which should result in switching the spotlight away from unhealthy foods and drinks. The more robust a policy, the more likely it is to result in the proposed changes to advertising. However, local governments must aim to demonstrate excellence, and not stop at the minimum standards.
Most local governments that have brought in a healthier food advertising policy with Sustain’s support are demonstrating excellence in their policy guidance – please see the case studies for more information.
We expect policy standards will improve over time as increasingly robust policies are established.
The advertising policy guidance must cover the following different scenarios:
|
|
Minimum standards |
Excellence |
|---|---|---|
|
Definition |
Defines unhealthy food using the Nutrient Profiling Model. |
Defines unhealthy food using the Nutrient Profiling Model. |
|
Restrictions |
Has been fully signed off to restrict unhealthy food and drinks from being advertised across the advertising estate. |
Has been fully signed off to restrict unhealthy food and drinks from being advertised across the advertising estate. |
|
Exceptions |
The policy states whether exceptions will be allowed and sets out clearly what these are. |
The policy contains no exceptions including for products, brands or types of advertising. |
|
Product range |
Restricts adverts which feature a range of products that include unhealthy food and drink products, including a meal setting. |
Restricts adverts which feature a range of products that include unhealthy food and drink products, including a meal setting. |
|
Brand-only advertising |
Where a food and drink brand/service is advertising their brand and not a product, the policy explains what compliance looks like. |
Restricts brand only advertising by requiring that all food and drink companies/services include a promotion of healthier food or drinks. |
|
Alternative product representations |
Explains what compliance looks like where food and drink is represented in text, graphical representations, or other visual representation. |
Restricts all references to unhealthy food and drinks in text, graphical representations or other visual representation. |
|
Incidental advertising |
Explains what compliance looks like with regards to incidental advertising (e.g. a financial services advert featuring sweets). |
Restricts all incidental advertising of unhealthy foods and drinks. |
|
Non-HFSS in unhealthy category |
Explains what compliance looks like when a healthier product falls within a category covered by OHID’s recommendations for sugar or calorie reduction. |
Ensures the product should always carry a prominent product descriptor when a healthier product falls within a category covered by OHID’s recommendations for sugar or calorie reduction. |
|
Independent analysis |
Includes ability to hold businesses to account for objective measures of products’ nutrition status. |
States that companies may be requested to provide gold standard independent lab tested evidence of nutrition information for the advertised products to prove compliance. |
Note: This policy is restricting unhealthy food advertising only. There is currently no objective and agreed method for robustly restricting the sponsorship of unhealthy foods and drinks. It is therefore recommended that local governments do not state that sponsorship of unhealthy foods and drinks is restricted.
Commercial Determinants: We believe our health and the health of our planet must be prioritised ahead of companies’ profits. We’re taking a stand with policymakers by bringing in regulations that incentivise industry to higher standards.
