Consumer group Which? has published a report on "the underhand marketing tricks used to target children".
The report, called 'Childcatchers', highlights the marketing of junk food via the internet, mobile phones, games, toys and misleading health claims.
All aimed at encouraging young children to purchase food which is high in sugar, salt and fat.
Stakeholder Response: Which?
Sue Davies, chief policy adviser at Which?, said: "It can be incredibly difficult to protect your child.
"While at home, shopping, playing and even at school, children are constantly bombarded with calculated marketing messages encouraging them to eat more junk food.
"Such reckless marketing undermines efforts to improve children’s diets.
"Irresponsible marketing of foods high in fat, sugar and salt to children has to stop. This is crunch-time for the industry.
"If it fails to act, and current signs aren’t promising, the government must stick to its pledge to legislate.
"We uncovered more than 40 irresponsible marketing tricks during our research."
Stakeholder Response: British Retail Consortium
A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium said: "Interest in healthy eating and children's lifestyle is growing at a fast pace.
"To better understand the children's food and grocery market, we need to look at children in the context of the family and society as a whole.
"In choosing foods for children, it is not just the child that must be satisfied, but also the parents, typically the mother.
"Some food retailers have responded to these changes and have developed child-focused products specifically to address the needs of this market.
"All retailers' child-focused products follow strict specifications with specific nutritional criteria for fat, sugar and salt defined by product range.
"Most have no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners. Many retailers have also introduced a number of 'sweet free' checkouts.
"In addition, retailer initiatives such as retailers’ teaching support resources and web-based education have increased children's awareness of food issues and healthy eating.
"The BRC and its members are committed to playing their part in helping all consumers choose a healthy lifestyle and the latest research from Mintel shows UK retailers are leading the rest of Europe with regards healthy eating ‘own brand products’.
"The BRC is an active member of the Food and Drink Advertising and Promotion Forum which was set up by the Food Standards Agency to look into this issue and work with stakeholders to identify actions that could promote healthier food choices.
"Four working groups have come out of this forum that are looking closely into the promotion of foods to children through different channels and, as part of retailers' commitment to the issue, the BRC is chairing the working group looking at Point of Sale promotions.
"We are keen to engage with stakeholders and government on this topic, although we are keen to highlight that food choices are just one part of the issue and any work done on this issue must be matched by a commitment to increasing the amount of exercise and activity that children partake in."
Stakeholder Response: Chartered Institute of Marketing
A spokesperson for the Chartered Institute of Marketing told ePolitix.com: "The recent Which? Kids Food report makes clear the fact that marketers have the power to impact directly on our daily lives and the lives of our children.
"We would contend that this power carries with it enormous responsibility and in some of the case studies in the report, this responsibility does not seem to have been taken seriously.
"This should, however, not be taken as indicating that all marketers operate beyond the pale.
"The environment in which the FMCG marketer operates is one of immense pressure from above to achieve results and this leads can lead to a scenario in the corporate mind where the end justifies the means.
"Marketers can feel compelled to act as they do through fear the simple and all too real fear of losing their jobs if they don’t do what they are paid to do, which is to ensure performance matches the expectations of whatever set of metrics their employer applies.
"The Chartered Institute of Marketing believes society needs a measure of protection from questionable commercial practices of some businesses.
"Equally, marketers themselves need someone to look after their interests, if they find themselves expected to act in an unconscionable manner by their employer but feel powerless to resist without putting their job on the line.
"There is a need too for ongoing professional development to foster an appreciation amongst the profession of the wider ethical dimension that frames their work.
"One answer is for marketing to become a licensed profession with an authoritative regulatory body, in the same way that lawyers, accountants, architects and doctors are members of regulated professions.
"Such a body would give individual marketers the moral authority we suspect will become an increasingly necessary item in their toolbox.
"A regulatory body would work within a clear ethical framework underpinned by guiding moral principles and licence to practice would be granted only to those who demonstrate a willingness to abide by the codes of practice of the profession.
"As this report makes clear, the activities of the marketing profession are under the spotlight as never before.
"Decisive steps are called for to ensure that the marketing profession can address any unethical behaviour and making marketing a licensed profession could help both the peace of mind of consumers and the majority of marketers alike."
