Latest News > Media Release
2 June 2009
Obesity Requires Whole of Community Response
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has welcomed the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing’s report “Weighing it Up – Obesity in Australia”.
“The Committee has recognised that Obesity is a multi-faceted issue requiring a whole of community response,” said Scott McClellan, CEO of AANA. “Advertisers have demonstrated their willingness to do their part by, among other things, only advertising healthier food choices to younger children.”
AANA also welcomes the Committee’s conclusions regarding the important role industry self-regulation can play. The effectiveness of advertising self-regulation has been recognised by numerous independent studies. But marketers realise the need to continually strengthen the AANA codes and have done so in line with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Framework for Responsible Food & Beverage Marketing Communications.
Australia was the first country to respond through implementation of the AANA Food & Beverages Advertising & Marketing Communications Code in 2008. The Code is administered by the Advertising Standards Bureau.
Advertising has an effect on food choice assessed by ACMA's research review at between 0.5% and 2.0%, equating to a ‘modest direct effect’ on children’s food preferences. Many studies suggest a negligible effect on individual food requests and in the context of the multitude of factors that determine individual food preferences, consumption and behaviour, advertising is clearly a minor factor.
For further information:
Scott McClellan, Chief Executive Officer, AANA, 02 9221 8088
Background Information
AANA is the peak advertising industry body representing the rights and responsibilities of Australia’s major advertisers and their industry partners. AANA’s objective is to promote and safeguard the advertising interests of its members and to ensure that ethical standards are upheld through the management of the industry’s self-regulation system, implemented today through the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) in Canberra. The industry self regulation system is created, reviewed and owned by the AANA. The ASB administers a complaints process under a national system of advertising self-regulation through the Advertising Standards Board and the Advertising Claims Board. Both boards make their determinations about complaints under appropriate sections of the Advertiser Code of Ethics, and the Food & Beverages Advertising & Marketing Communications Code and the Advertising and Marketing to Children Code as prescribed by the AANA, by following principles laid down by the AANA in consultation with the advertising industry and other stakeholders.
Further information about the ASB is available from http://www.adstandards.com.au/pages/index.asp
The ASB reports annually on the complaints it has received.