Regulation of unhealthy food and beverage marketing to children in Africa: A Webinar in Commemoration of World Food Day.

The interest in food and beverage marketing to children over time is due to concerns about the increase in childhood overweight and obesity, which can predispose them to developing various non-communicable diseases. Food marketing has been shown to greatly influence consumer choices, especially children who make up a lucrative market segment because they can sometimes purchase food themselves; they have influence over their parent’s food purchases, and they are future consumers. Studies have shown that unhealthy food and beverage marketing directed at children creates a preference for such foods, discourages healthy eating, and influences family food purchases and consumption. Children are exposed to unhealthy food and beverage marketing through advertisements on various media channels, on food packaging, and even within the school environment.

The CRC Committee has recognised that unhealthy food and beverage marketing to children is a violation of their right to health, adequate nutrition, and freedom from exploitation as well as undermining the child’s best interests. Also, the WHO has urged governments to develop mandatory restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy food to children. In line with the duty to protect, the CRC Committee also in General Comment No. 16 recommended that states take necessary measures including laws and regulations to prevent business enterprises from contributing to the abuse of children’s rights through unhealthy food marketing, including enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance.

Against this backdrop, the Socio-Economic Rights Project of the Dullah Omar Institute and the Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) invite you to a webinar to mark World Food Day. This webinar focuses on sharing perspectives on regulation of unhealthy food marketing to children in various African countries as well as the important role that the African Human Rights Organs can play in addressing this problem. It brings together researchers in the food space who will be sharing perspectives from Uganda, Kenya and South Africa.