Abstract

The case ‘Childhood obesity: Should junk food be regulated?’ provides an overview of the marketing of junk food (food with limited nutritional value) to children across the world, and the role of government regulations and industry self-regulation. The case looks into the concerns raised by consumer groups and health organizations the world over, due to the increasing levels of childhood obesity which have reached alarming proportions. Junk food manufacturers like McDonald’s, Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola have come under intense pressure to withdraw advertisements and promotional campaigns that target children. The case also gives a brief account of the arguments put forward by the Alliance for American Advertising (AAA) in defense of the ‘rights’ of companies to advertise to children. This case also discusses the regulations framed by governments in the Europe and Australia, and the initiatives taken by the junk food manufacturers to control obesity in children. It looks at some of the promotional campaigns these companies have designed to motivate children to adopt healthier lifestyles.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Junk food industry and its implications for the childhood obesity issue
• Role of government regulations.: Self-regulation adopted by various companies through marketing communications, as a pre-emptive measure against future government regulations.: Effects of unethical practices of advertising, i.e., advertising junk food to

Keywords

Childhood obesity, Junk food, Television advertising, In-school promotion, Informed choice, Self-regulation, European Union, International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), America on the Move, Healthy Weight 2008 - Australia's Future, Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU), The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods, Inc., McDonald's Corporation, PepsiCo Inc., Active Lifestyle, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)