Dr. Mimi Tatlow-Golden:

Yes. There are weaknesses in the legislation. The two key weaknesses I see relate to the definition of children's programming. Really, we need to target children's viewing. It is really about what a child is seeing rather than where the advertisements are being placed. The other part relates to nutrient profiling. If we are stricter in these areas, then we take more products out. Something that came through strongly in the study was how many brands that we generally associate with unhealthier eating were leading with advertising for healthier items. This might be a fast food company advertising water, carrot sticks or milk. However, we know that when people go into those places, they have nuggets and chips. The diet is completely different. Some experimental evidence was produced by my colleague, Emma Boyland, in Liverpool. It shows what happens when children view those advertisements with the healthy items. Then, they are taken off to select things to eat. They do not select the items advertised but rather the things the brand in question is generally associated with.

It is about understanding the whole ecosystem of the marketing and not only a specific advertisement. The idea is to find where they are active in all the various areas. It extends to brand marketing. A great deal of advertising will be done using only a logo. At this point, the logo is all a company needs – the logo is enough. We have shown that at aged three years, children know what the logo is for. Before children are speaking and before they know what it is called, they can bring a picture of the unhealthy item that the logo is associated with and put the two together. As the Deputy noted, they are being reached before they know their ABCs.

Another thing strikes me from the talk today. It has been really interesting to hear about the junior certificate. We have a generational cascade that needs to be addressed. The junior certificate students are future parents. Food and food education in preschools need to be explored as well.