The Norwegian government has announced proposals for a comprehensive ban on the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages aimed at children under the age of 18. This week it launched a public consultation on the plan which, if implemented, would see Norway set a new standard in public health innovation. 

The development follows publication last year of a major new WHO guideline on policies to protect children from the harmful impact of food marketing. This showed how exposure to “aggressive and pervasive” food marketing affects children’s health ands eating behaviours, and negatively influences the development of children’s norms about food consumption. The WHO report also drives home the message that calls for responsible marketing practices from food companies have had little meaningful impact.

Commenting on this week’s announcement, Norway’s minister of health and care services, Jan Christian Vestre, said: “We are committed to protecting the health of children and young people, and that it should be easy to make healthy choices in everyday life. In addition, we want to reduce social health inequalities, and this proposal is a step in the right direction that I am happy to put forward.”

Minister of education, Kari Nessa Nordtu, added: “Children and young people today experience strong pressure from actors who want to capitalize on them, especially through social media. I am deeply concerned about the many unhealthy products that are promoted both by commercial players and influencers.”

Ministry seeks input
“We are now taking the responsibility for protecting children and youth from the harmful impacts of unhealthy food and beverage marketing, and I encourage relevant actors to contribute with input to the proposal that is sent out for consultation, so that we get a complete picture of the case,’ said Vestre.

“The goal is a clear regulation that clarifies responsibility and provides effective sanctions – all for the good of our children.”

Proposal in summary 

• The proposal involves a ban on the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages aimed at children under the age of 18. It also includes a ban on the placement of such products in the proximity of toys and other products especially appealing to children.

• The proposed regulation is largely based on the existing guidelines for the self-regulatory scheme (which has shown to have had significant weaknesses and ineffective sanctions), but with some important differences. The regulation will protect all children up to the age of 18 years and violations of the ban will be subject to sanctions in the form of an infringement fee.

• The ban on the placement of unhealthy foods and beverages near other products that are appealing to children and a ban that encourages adults to buy such products for children, are both new.

• Exemptions include sponsorship that only includes a company name/logo, packaging, ordinary placement and information at points of sale, and the design of the product itself.

• Products considered ‘unhealthy’ candy, soft drinks, chocolate, snacks, ice cream and cakes etc. But in addition milk, cereals, yoghurt, and fast food that exceed agreed nutrient thresholds would also be caught by the marketing ban. For example, yoghurt and cereals with a high content of sugar are covered by the proposed regulation.

• The proposal does not ban the sales of any products – only how these products are advertised to children.

Photo by Jarand K. Løkeland on Unsplash