Eyes shut and (still) overweight?

The currently discussed ban on food advertising, declared as a child health protection therapy, is based on the assumption that what I cannot see or hear does not exist. However, an “approval test”, as we know it from other therapies, suggests that an advertising ban is not an effective treatment.

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has drafted legislation to combat obesity under the title Children's Food Advertising Act, which provides for a comprehensive ban on advertising for around 80 percent of all foods. The fight against overweight and obesity in children is a task for society as a whole. However, as ZAW and the Advertising Council, of which I have been a member for many years, make clear, there are no simple solutions and certainly no panacea. I would like to look at the advertising ban proposal again from the point of view that it represents an intervention in our overall social system, which, like any remedy or therapy, should be thoroughly examined before approval.

Well-founded therapy proposal

According to the WHO, overweight and obesity are reaching epidemic proportions in Europe, with almost 30 percent of children being overweight. According to the RKI, 16 percent of children and adolescents in Germany are overweight and six percent are obese. Health insurance companies report an average of almost four percent juvenile obesity diagnoses and up to 15 percent among young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. But regardless of the exact figure, being overweight is a major chronic health risk. And when it comes to obesity, every single obese child is one too many. Everyone involved agrees on this.

Some stakeholders, including doctors, consumer advocates and politicians, are therefore currently rushing to the supposedly obvious therapeutic proposal of an “advertising ban”, without any clarity as to whether it works at all or has undesirable side effects. The draft proposal from the Ministry of Food envisages a ban on advertising for 70-80 percent of all foods, which would be classified as unhealthy across the board, regardless of how much of them the individual consumes. Moreover, the visual and audio ban is not intended to be targeted, but applies almost around the clock and to almost all channels, thus affecting all target groups, adults and children alike. An all-round ban on advertising denies all responsible citizens personal responsibility and responsible enjoyment.

No evidence of effect

Although advertising can cause a market shift between different products in saturated markets, non-advertising does not lead to children suddenly no longer consuming sweets as long as this offer is available. Even the BMEL has to admit that there is no evidence-based study on the effect of advertising bans on obesity. However, statistics show that overweight and obesity among children and adolescents have increased in Germany during the pandemic, even though advertising pressure has fallen sharply. In countries where advertising has long been banned, such as Chile or the UK, obesity among young people is still many times higher than in Germany. This speaks volumes about the ineffectiveness of advertising bans.

Dangerous side effects

On the other hand, blanket advertising bans have questionable side effects: They deprive the free press of a central component of its financial basis. In return, they put this important pillar of our democracy and social education in real existential difficulties. Especially when it comes to nutritional issues, maintaining independent education and information is fundamental to public debate and the development of society. The planned ban on advertising affects around 80 percent of all foodstuffs, threatening the media world with gross advertising losses of around three billion euros.

Such a comprehensive ban on advertising as proposed in the draft literally puts many medium-sized, national food manufacturers in “mortal danger”. The regulation cements the supremacy of large multinational suppliers; after all, it does not apply to manufacturing companies that are not based in Germany. It also consolidates the dominant market position of domestic companies, because without advertising there is no competition. All smaller and medium-sized suppliers, who have already been hit hard enough by the crisis in recent years, are therefore threatened with severe losses and even insolvency. This sets off an insane downward spiral and threatens our social prosperity, which is based on our social market economy.

Obstruction of other therapies

Advertising bans mean a lack of important funding for educational initiatives and popular sports, which experts believe are the most effective means of combating obesity. Not only the media, but also club sport, which is already in dire straits, will be deprived of its financial basis, as the planned advertising ban includes a ban on sponsorship. In medicine, this would probably be considered a contraindication. Federal Minister Cem Özdemir said in February that he was primarily aiming for the food industry to reform its recipes. However, it is precisely this hope that is thwarted by the planned comprehensive ban on advertising, because without advertising, products improved by innovative formulations cannot be brought to market.

The ministry is probably relying on advertising bans because it seems to be free for the state. In reality, such a comprehensive advertising ban is perhaps the most expensive medicine of all for our society due to the loss of tax revenue and jobs in the food industry and media. Based on the above points, the conclusion is that this therapy proposal, which is ineffective in solving the problem of obesity, even counterproductive and counter-induced, but which has many negative side effects for the system as a whole, should be refused approval.

A variety of other approaches

Unfortunately, there is still no quick and effective miracle cure, as the BMEL claimants would like and promise the world. As with so many other illnesses, we as a society must continue to laboriously turn many screws, starting with the promotion of medical research and popular sport, through information and education on nutrition and an active lifestyle, to better and healthier food in nurseries and school canteens. The latter and exercise in particular can be powerful levers in the target group most affected. In Germany, many food manufacturers are already voluntarily optimizing their recipes in an attempt to preserve taste and shelf life. The advertising industry is not shirking its responsibility either. Some time ago, for example, it committed itself to advertising restrictions on foods high in sugar, fat and salt in the context of children's programs and has tightened the content-related rules of conduct even further in 2021. And that is certainly better than believing that a more conscious diet can be achieved by banning advertising, viewing, listening and thinking.