Unilever to stop marketing food and drink to under-16s by 2023
3 min read
Unilever-owned models such as Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum will no longer target young children or acquire their details in any of its markets.
Unilever is to halt promoting food stuff and drinks to youngsters less than-16 throughout all of its media channels globally, choosing to “raise the bar” on existing limitations.
As aspect of its “enhanced” concepts, the FMCG big will also prevent amassing or storing details on anyone beneath-16.
The new regulations will apply across each conventional media and social media. Unilever will no longer use influencers or stars who are below-16 or principally appeal to youthful people in that age team, and suggests it will get the job done to restrict the charm of its influencer content material to youngsters.
Unilever will also chorus from endorsing its brand names or goods in colleges, until exclusively asked for to participate in academic campaigns.
The FMCG enterprise owns food and refreshment models which include Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum and Wall’s. In January, Unilever introduced it was spinning off these ice product brand names into a different category as it restructured its organization about 5 pillars, which also consist of beauty and wellbeing, individual treatment, dwelling treatment and nourishment.
Its other food stuff brands, this sort of as Marmite and Hellmann’s, now drop into the nourishment category.
These brand names will have right until January 2023 to comply with these new rules.Unilever highlights Ben & Jerry’s and Hellmann’s growth next brand objective criticism
Now, in most nations around the world in the environment, the foodstuff and beverage market restricts advertising to little ones beneath 13 many years old.
Nonetheless, according to Unilever’s president of ice cream Matt Shut, the small business believes it is “important to raise the bar” on accountable marketing and advertising, as it recognises “the power” that social media and influencer marketing can have on children’s options.
“By creating these variations, our intention is to continue on to reduce children’s publicity to advertising and marketing from the foods and beverage business, and rather guidance mothers and fathers to choose suitable treats, to be enjoyed from time to time,” he suggests.
In some countries, this sort of as the Uk and Portugal, these principles are by now partially satisfied, fully satisfied or exceeded by means of its compliance with current guidelines and laws.
In the Uk, foodstuff or beverages that are substantial in fats, salt or sugar (HFSS) are not allowed to be promoted in a way that is directed at under-16s. The Uk federal government is introducing regulations that will see a entire ban on the advertising of HFSS foods and consume on electronic channels and on Television in advance of 9pm. These new laws will arrive into effect at the finish of this 12 months.
Unilever promises it became one of the initially corporations to utilize precise limitations to internet marketing foodstuff and beverages to small children in 2003. In 2020, the business current its limitations by ending promoting of the category to children below the age of 12 in conventional media, and under the age of 13 by using social media channels.
Over the last 12 months, Unilever has divested some components of its food stuff and beverages small business. In November very last yr it offered its tea business, which involved makes like Lipton and Tazo. In January, CEO Alan Jope stated the business was thinking about divesting some other pieces of its foods and drink small business that are going through slower growth.
