Bans on junk food advertising, currently spreading faster than a franchised burger chain, are being questioned as an effective tool to encourage healthy eating and combat obesity.
South Australia this month followed the ACT which first removed advertising for unhealthy food, alcohol and gambling from all government-run buses and light rail in 2015.
The ACT government claims the policy has contributed to positive health outcomes but some experts caution that advertising bans alone are not the answer.
“Products advertised, and the associated messaging, must be suitable and appropriate for the broader population and in line with the values of the Canberra community and ACT Government objectives,” a spokesperson in the ACT told AdNews.
“To meet the Australian Standards, ads must not represent, portray or promote junk food, fast food or unhealthy food and drinks as defined by the Australian Dietary Guidelines and associated Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
“To ensure the Australian advertising standards are met, contractors who manage advertising bookings on buses and light rail are required to check advertising conforms according to the standards and guidelines.”
The ACT Government spokesperson said the ban was part of the Towards Zero Growth: Healthy Weight Action Plan, which aimed to reduce obesity rates in children and adults.
The final report, released by the government, shows that eight of the 14 targets were met.
The report showed a significant drop in the proportion of young people consuming two or more sweetened drinks per week and an increase in the number of adults walking or cycling to work.
The government called it a positive result but said more work is needed to increase healthy eating and support active living environments in the ACT.
However, some experts warn that bans like this may not address the deeper behavioural changes needed for lasting impact.
RMIT University associate professor Janneke Blijlevens said the ban reinforces the stereotype that obese people are unhealthy because they lack self-control.
“These stereotypes are judgemental, authoritarian, highly exclusionary and scientifically incorrect,” she told AdNews.
“As a result, the target audience will want to dissociate from this conversation entirely. They will not feel seen, they will feel scrutinised and vilified.”
Blijlevens said children should have the autonomy to choose healthier options.
“They should be given ample opportunity to change their behaviours in their immediate environment,” she said.
“From a behavioural change point of view, the governments’ ban skirts around the true issue and appears tokenistic.”
Blijlevens said negative framing is not typically motivational for lasting behavioural change.
“New habits are formed when the new behaviour is marked by a pleasurable feeling, and invokes emotions such as pride, agency, achievement, connection, safety,” she said.
“If the government is really interested in addressing the health of our children, then it should be devising a program that includes all ingredients required for behaviour change: capability, motivation and opportunity.”
It remains unclear how the junk food ad ban on public transport in some Australian states has affected out-of-home media spending – or what the implications might be if the policy were adopted nationwide.
Meanwhile, the advertising industry is more concerned with the confusion and commercial fallout.
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) said the more recent South Australian ban is so confusing that even nutritionists are scratching their heads.
Josh Faulks, CEO of the AANA, has called on the government to adopt a science-based objective approach that genuinely supports public health without compromising economic activity.
“We fully support measures that encourage healthier choices, but the implementation of these policies must be based on credible, evidence-based criteria,” he said.
“The policy bans all advertising showing those banned food or drink items. For example, an ad celebrating the anniversary of a children’s charity which depicts a child with a birthday cake would be banned. The Tasting Australia event can no longer show images of charcuterie boards or pastries in their advertising.
“This simply doesn’t make sense, and the government should be making evidence-based decisions, not blanket bans that don’t align with nutritional science.
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