Australian Olympic Committee Shamed For Promoting Junk Food To Kids

Australian Olympic Committee Shamed For Promoting Junk Food To Kids
B&T Magazine
Edited by B&T Magazine



The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has taken out the not-so-prestigious ‘Foul Sport Shame Award’ at this year’s Parent’s Voice Fame & Shame Awards.

The annual awards, which highlight the worst of unhealthy food advertising to kids while also rewarding campaigns which promote healthier lifestyles, took umbrage with the governing body forming partnerships with Cadbury and Coca-Cola ahead of this year’s Tokyo Olympics.

“Kids are inspired by the feats of their sporting champions, but this year saw an increasing number of major sporting events plastered with unhealthy food and drink marketing,” said Parents’ Voice manager, Alice Pryor.

The ‘Foul Sport Shame Award’ was hotly contested this year, with perennial nominee, McDonald’s Australia, taking out both silver and bronze.

The golden arches also nabbed the ‘Pester Power Shame Award’, for its campaign encouraging children to buy Happy Meals and subsequently enter an online competition to win an Xbox. While KFC was named ‘Digital Ninja’ for their Cricket-focused TikTok #Buckethead Challenge.

As for the ‘Bother Boards Award’, Italian chocolate manufacturer, Ferrero, won the not-so-esteemed prize thanks to its campaign parking child-sized Nutella school buses in supermarkets.

But it wasn’t all sugar and spice at the awards – now in their 17th year. Parents’ Voice also rewarded numerous individuals and companies for their efforts in promoting healthy lifestyles.

In the ‘Parent’s Choice – Food’ category, Hort Innovation was awarded the gold for their Australian Avocados Olympic-not-Olympic ad, along with Woolworths who were given the nod for ‘Today’s Fresh Food People’ ad which promoted family’s discussing healthy green food.

Even football megastar, Cristiano Ronaldo, was given an honorable mention for his “drink water” actions at this year’s UEFA European Championships which resulted in Coca-Cola losing $5.2 billion in market value.

“The link between unhealthy food marketing to children and 1 in 4 Australian children being above a healthy weight is clear,” said Pryor.

“When even a pandemic is unable to stop unhealthy food marketing invading our homes and lives, it’s past time for the Government to step up and set higher regulatory standards for the packaging and marketing of food products to protect Aussie kids.”




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