What do you think?

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We'd love to hear your views...

I think there is far too much Junk food advertised that is specifically aimed at kids. They appear at prime times of the day when it is obvious that kids will be watching. Most ads show the products as being fun and cool! with little information to parents of exactly what is in them. I feel there should be some kind of watchdog that looks into how these products are marketed and the more healthy food should be advertised more.

Being Recently out of that age range a few years ago(am 13) i can remember the exitement when the cartoon charecters came on the television, advertising reformed meat squares and full fat "real" cheese triangles, and i remember my mum losing it at the supermarket when my 7 year old nagging skills came into play. At our school they try really hard to produce really good meals, and all this is reparing damage done in primary school when those Junk food ads really got into young kids minds.

What do people think about those "chocolate straws" i see on TV now, is it a decent way to get milk into kids or is it just another junk food ad?

Mat, those straws are just another junk food. The only cereals I buy are porridge, bran flakes and weetabix. Nothing else is allowed. I don't know how anyone could eat chocolate for breakfast anyway.

I believe that these adds should be banned. If they do not ban them, there should be cartoon characters showing kids how yummy fruit and veg is. If they can advertise for one, there's no reason they can't give healthy food the same treatment.

When my lids were younger, thery're now 16 and 10, pester power didn't come into it. If I said no, that's how it stayed.

My son had a short amount of bullying in school because I make him a healthy packed lunch. I do things like pasta salads, bagals, salad sandwiches, fruit, home made ceral bars, flapjacks, fruit smoothies etc. He was bullied cos he didn't have what the bullies termed "proper food". These are the same kids who have behaviour problems cos of all the additives they eat. The school sorted this out.

I think those Chocolate straws are nothing but sugar, a bowl of Rice krispies or Cornflake would be better,and they should think of banning junk food ads on all tv the same way they band smoking ads.since the adults who can,t be bothered to cook proper food are as unhealthy as their kids.

This legislation cannot come soon enough IMO! This whole subject is one that really riles me....why do we even need food aimed at children???

It is indecent the way the marketing of such poor quality products is pushed upon people under the false premise of wholesomeness.....hmmm, yes, let's foist chocolate, sugar laden cereals onto children to promote the fact that they can drink milk and have no table manners!!!

Parents Against Pester Power!!!!

Sexy betsie

Why do we even need food aimed at children?

It's about time this question was asked and something done about it. When I was a kid in the 50's there was no such thing as "children's food", we ate what the grown ups ate. We had sweets of course( when sugar rationing ended) but all kids have some form of treat, hopefully in these enlightened days fruit not sugar.
To slightly expand the subject, I consider that supermarkets are as much to blame as TV advertisers.
Eye level is buy level. Where is this plastic textured, chemical laden rubbish to be found. Not on the upper shelves but low down for little eyes and hands, just like the sweets at the nice stressful, 2 kids, packing and paying checkout.
At the same time though we cannot duck out of our role in all this and take the responsibility for at least trying to negate the outside pressures and educate as best we can.
My son was a really fussy junk food eater, now he is in the army all that has changed. His ethos is now, in, chew, swallow. He says that Army scoff is OK if you don't look too close. There is hope after all.

Happy Easter all, enjoy in your way

Barry

bless you barry, bet you never even saw a banana till you were a teenager!!

I do have children, aged 13, 10 and 8 and that's me in the supermarket saying "NO!!" all the time!! Actually that is not true.... cos they know the difference between food and dross!! They also know where meat comes from....real animals in fields to the butchers to our plates and that veg is supposed to be muddy and that there are seasons to stuff...and that jetting stuff around the world is not such a great idea just so we can have pappy strawberries in December.

I have come over a bit ranty!!

I agree totally its a bout time people began to vote with their purses to let the supermarkets know that we want better food with less chemicals and additives. I always buy organic getting my fruit and veg from a local box scheme and my children (16 & 8) know exactly what they are eating and choose the healthier option every time. Happy Easter

The organic range of food in boxes or supermarkets is very expensive and lots of people can,t afford the extra cost and also because of the way orgainic food is produced the yield is not so plentiful as the alternatives.

as far as the expense of organic veg goes, have you seen the cost of a "Barbie" themed tin of beans??

I think they should ban McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut ads. I was walking through Chester last week and I heard a boy of about 13 years old and looked like he weighed 15 stone saying to his school friends "lets' go to Pizza Hut where it's eat as much as you can". I almost wanted to say something to him but really bit my lip!

Also when I lived in Nottingham whenever I shopped at the local supermarket which was next to a school, at lunch time the kids would come in and spend their entire lunch money on sweets, cakes etc. I think the supermarkets should put a stop to this as the parents have no idea at all what their kids are eating during school time. It's funny really because the supermarket I am talking about is currently advertising on tv their healthy food range for kids. So why don't they do it!!

I think this is in danger of being a bit knee-jerk. Banning junk food advertising will only be a very, very small step to resolving these issues. They have to look at banning kids meals where you get a "free" toy (which you actually pay for, the cost of the food itself is practically insignificant).

Also, banning ads is only a tiny step when you look at the culture we have - and this ISN'T going to change. There is simply not enough convenience and demand (or supply) for everyone to go to farmer's markets etc so Tesco (etc) is an essential lifestyle choice.

Simple question - you are a major retailer and you have shareholders who want to see you make massive profits.
What do you do? Do you promote healthy, considered, low margin foods. OR do you promote spur-of the moment low value/high margin products that in themselves drive further consumption of other low value/high margin products?

What do you have with pizza? Coke or beer. What do you have with a healthy jacket potato? A glass of milk or a cup of tea. The former delivers high margins through cheap ingredients, the latter delivers insignificant margins through basic products there's no benefit in promoting.

But I am with the comment about since when has there been "Children's food". Since when has it been necessary to make luncheon meat look like a bear to get a kid to eat it?

I think that real change only comes through a culture change and it will take years before anything beneficial for the whole of society comes of it - and by then it will be too late. The USA has 5% of the world's population but produces 45% of the world's rubbish. And so many other countries (us included, but also China, Japan, African nations etc etc etc) aspire to be like that.

It won't be war that destroys civilisation, civilisation will destry itself under a heap of it's own pollution.

So, at risk of sounding melodramatic, banning the ads is the equivalent of throwing a thimble full of water on a house fire - it helps. But not a lot.

So, I say stuff society and look after myself and my own, I really don't care what everybody else eats any more - there's enough information out there and if they want to live on opizza, chicken nuggets, fast food, and fizzy drinks then it's up to them!!

(phew!!)

Oh, AND ANOTHER THING, parents who feed their kids fast food because the kids nag for it should really be questioning how much they care, and ultimately thinking about their own ability to make good decisions as parents!

Good Idea, society can stuff themselves just be responsible for your own. The 3 new ads are for Burger King for a supersize man and the Mcdonalds ads centers on a attractive family offering a child a choice of Burgers,Fish fingers and carrot sticks.KFC is A child I presume is going to his pals house for a sleep over,and the MoM( since they look American )orders the Bucket of food and drinks offer instead of cooking it all her self. Its all obviously aimed at children and lazy parents.

I agree totally. I never go to fast food outlets instead if my children want pizza or burgers we make them ourselves which has two advantages 1. I know exactly what is in them and its not full of fat and sugar and 2. the kids really enjoy making them. As many would say there is not enough time in the day for this as we now lead busy lives (I am a working mother with a demanding job) but it only takes a short time to make things and you also spend time with your children which can only be a good thing!!

On the food news page today McDonalds are to launch an even Bigger Big Mac for the duration of the World Cup, Its going to be 40% bigger.so our overstretched N.H.S are likely to be swamped with Heart Attack patients.

And did you also read how many ingredients the fast food outlets strawberry milkshake contains? Not one of them a strawberry!!! Whatever happened to good old fashioned strawberries, milk and either yoghurt or ice cream?

Mrs. WW

Too unhealthy?

Barry Come on you IRONS

I think if kids really knew what went into their fast food they wouldn't eat it.

Eye lids in a bun... no thanks!

cvgale - Did you see Jamie Oliver's School Dinners when he showed the kids what went into chicken nuggets? Prior to him showing them, he asked if they'd like a chicken nugget or a chicken drumstick - all opted for a chicken nugget. Their faces were an absolute picture of "shock/horror" and when asked again whether they wanted a chicken nugget or a drumstick - they'd rapidly changed their minds and accepted a drumstick!

some of the children in the Jamie Oliver programme could not identify vegetables, when shown. However they could all identify fast food company logos.

Agreed Sexy Betsy (great name by the way,.)

My friend doesn't giver her son sweets but gives him dried fruits instead. Ryan gave some dried pineapple to his friend without telling him what it was. His friend was full of enthusiasm, saying how tasty the sweets were. When Ryan told him it was dried pineapple, he spat it out screaming it was horrible and he doesn't eat healthy food.

This kid is 10 years old, weighs 8st and can't run. Coronory in the making!!!!

sexy betsy some of the latter round contestants on masterchef goes large couldnt itentifty vegetables when shown them either

i did not see alot of the masterchefs but with the kids vs veg challenge it was onions and carrots.

and lilo lil ..thanks, & shut that door!!