Answer:

The increase in the number of overweight people and in the number of diseases resulting from excessive weight represent a problem of such magnitude that it has become an issue of extreme importance for both WHO and the EU. The food industry believes that this is a complex problem, which needs a complex answer. All parties effected by the problem have joined forces to establish TÉT Platform (Nutrition, Lifestyle, Sport Platform) and the Board of Self-Regulation in Advertising has joined as well. According to TÉT Platform, responsible advertising and marketing is a top priority. We believe that it is possible to persuade people to change their habits by co-ordinated communication. Though we know that the problem is a complex one, the idea of imposing restrictions on advertising of certain products keeps coming up. Many NGO-s see such restrictions as the key to the solution. This is problematic for us, since we regard advertising as necessary, because it is a tool of competition and we are concerned that limiting it may backfire. It is one of my duties to promote making ethical advertisements which take new challenges into consideration. Self-regulatory obligations have already been undertaken in the advertising business. I would like to request readers to observe the provisions of the Code of Ethics in Advertising. For example, we should refrain from encouraging excessive consumption. Promotions should serve to promote brands and not to generate excessive consumption. Products should not be depicted as substitutes for functions which they are not suitable for, like snacks for lunch. Many companies have undertaken to refrain from advertising for children under 12. This however, cannot remove responsibility from parents, who can do equally much to control the media consumption of their children.Regarding changes in legislation, the directive on unfair commercial practices will be adopted in the autumn. It will be of great importance to retailers that misleading and aggressive trade practices will be defined by this piece of legislation. For example, it will be illegal to instruct children directly to buy something and a number of other specific bans will also be defined.