Yesterday, the German Ministry of Health published a national action plan on nutrition and health entitled "In Shape: Germany's initiative for healthy nutrition and physical activity". The action plan introduces a number of national education measures regarding health and nutrition and, on advertising, states: 

 

"The federal government will, together with economic sectors, establish which additional rules should be aimed for, which could be set down in a code of conduct. In this context, one of the aims will be to achieve a renunciation ('verzicht') of advertising directed at children under 12 years. For older children and youths, the federal government will set out standards for advertising in a framework document to be drafted in cooperation with economic operators and the Deutsche Werberat [the German self-regulatory organisation]"

The Action Plan also states:

 

- "All media should be covered by the above strategy, including mobile phone and internet marketing."

- "The fashion industry can contribute to teaching children healthy eating habits through self regulatory measures which will prevent the use of "obviously anorexic models" in their advertising."

- "The government will engage with the games industry to encourage the development of computer games which will involve physical activity elements."

 

[Information partly sourced from the Advertising Education Forum]

Some news coverage can be viewed here: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hNdRDlD6pVKteq-TmkVCw9zdRamw

WFA has communicated some strategic considerations in light of these developments to members of theResponsible Advertising and Children Programme. For more information please contact Will Gilroy: w.gilroy@wfanet.org