Recently, the National Audio-Visual Council of Romania (CNA) launched a consultation related to food and non-alcoholic beverage advertising, with a view to helping consumers make healthier food choices.

  

On 8th February, WFA sent a letter to Ralu Filip, CNA President, explaining that while WFA welcomes and fully supports the objectives of the consultation, some of the proposed areas for debate could cause consumer confusion.

  

In the letter, WFA sets out a list of points that explain how the removal of medical endorsements, and the addition of selective nutritional information and ingredients to food ads would lead to incongruous and potentially confusing data appearing at the end of each ad. The proposals by CNA offer no explanation as to how this nutritional data enables consumers to better understand the components of a healthy diet.

 

 All stakeholders agree that education is critical to helping consumers understand how individual products fit into a healthy diet and lifestyle. WFA is actively working with the WHO, the European Parliament and the European Commission in this regard, to ensure that consumers are in a position to favour healthy food choices.

  

The full letter can be downloaded below. WFA will update the Responsible Advertising and Children Programme on developments related to the consultation in Romania as they become available. For more information please contact w.gilroy@wfanet.org