Media companies junk Government’s fast food advertising study: ‘True causes of obesity have much more to do with wealth, education, parents’
A report commissioned by the Albanese Government aimed at highlighting the dangers of fast food advertising on the health of Australian children has been slammed as a ‘quick fix’ by the media companies carrying this messaging.
The Healthy Kids Advertising Bill 2023 was tabled in federal parliament last June by independent MP Dr. Sophie Scamps. A feasibility study funded by the Albanese Government suggested a number of measures that would severely restrict fast food, such as banning prime time advertising, and targeted online ads.
So apparently fast food are claiming innocence because ‘True causes of obesity have much more to do with wealth, education, parents’.
Yes the three other sources quoted also are parts of the jigsaw puzzle of rising obesity.
But what if a claim was made that had just one word changed … ‘True causes of “drug-addiction” have much more to do with wealth, education, parents’?
Would we as consumers and advertisers be comfortable with such a claim? Especially when in the AIHW “Australian Burden of Disease Study 2018” found that Obesity was key in 8.4% of deaths while illicit drug use was key in 3% of deaths.
consider if advertising and media companies changed just one word in the above claim whether they would feel comfortable.
Sounds like the oil companies denying any link to climate change?