Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – Saxony-Anhalt’s Consumer Protection Minister Franziska Weidinger (CDU) has welcomed the initiative by consumer advocates to restrict advertising for unhealthy food more. Junk food shapes the eating habits of children and young people and increases the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, she said on Tuesday. “It is therefore important that we protect children and young people much better against advertising for unhealthy food in the future.”
Clever marketing often sells unhealthy food as healthy and nutritious, says Weidinger. “I am in favor of restricting advertising for unhealthy foods and I welcome the fact that the Federal Ministry of Food is preparing new regulations.”
The head of the Federal Association of Consumers (vzbv), Ramona Pop, had previously stated that something urgently needed to change in the marketing of so-called children’s food. “Food is advertised with funny and cute little pictures that are fatty and too sweet. That’s why we need much stricter regulation of the advertising of children’s products that don’t meet the recommendations of the World Health Organization.” It needs “ban miles” around daycare centers and schools, but also for television, radio and influencers.
