Food industry tricks
We look at some of the marketing tricks are being used to target children.
We look at some of the marketing tricks are being used to target children.
Nesquik Magic Straws are promoted as a way of getting children to drink nutritious milk, claiming to 'magic the goodness of milk into strawberry flavour milk'. Strawberry flavour Magic Straws have over 56g of sugar per 100g.
In January 2008, Coca Cola ran a competition
The site also offered a 'buddyPing' account where children could text their location to Skittles and it would text back the location of their friends. However, Masterfoods told Which?, 'we do not advertise to children…we take special care not to emphasise peer pressure and not to generate pestering'.
The online games on the 'Planet Haribo' website all feature brand icon Hariboy and Haribo sweets.
As well as games, visitors can send branded e-cards to their friends and download screensavers and a branded cursor, so that the messages persist even after children have left the site.
For more information see our full reports below.
Cartoon Heroes and Villains report (PDF: 707Kb)09 August 2007Which? report revealing how cartoon characters are used to push children towards foods high in fat, sugar or salt
Which? explodes the industry myths on responsible food marketing to children.
01 January 2006Exposes the most common marketing techniques used to promote foods high in fat, sugar and salt to kids.
Shark tales and incredible endorsements (PDF: 290Kb)01 February 2005Which? report revealing how characters loved and trusted by children are used to manipulate food choices and sell foods which are high in fat, sugar or salt.
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