Canada Plans Major Crackdown on Children-Focused Food Advertising

Doughnuts in a box in a file photo. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The Canadian government is set to introduce stringent regulations on food advertising targeted at children, according to a Dec. 21 briefing note from the Department of Health.

Cabinet plans to release draft rules this spring that will significantly curb advertisements of certain food products on television and digital platforms, aiming to shield children from marketing practices that may negatively impact their dietary choices, as first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter.

The billion-dollar ban reflects the government’s position that current self-regulation by the industry is inadequate in safeguarding children’s health. The prohibition, however, will not extend to other advertising mediums such as radio, billboards, movie theatres, and sponsorships of minor sports leagues by restaurant chains.

The precise definition of “children’s foods” subject to the ban remains unspecified, but the focus will be on items contributing to excessive consumption of sodium, sugar, and saturated fat. The initiative, outlined in the briefing note titled “Restrictions On Food Advertising To Children,” is distinct from Bill C-252, An Act To Amend The Food And Drugs Act, which passed the Commons last October and is currently under Senate consideration.

Bill C-252 would grant the Department of Health authority to limit advertising of foods exceeding certain levels of sugar, saturated fats, or sodium to children under 13 years old, though these levels have yet to be explicitly defined.

According to the new briefing note, the need for such regulations is underscored by data suggesting that elementary school-aged children are exposed to a significant number of food advertisements. An average child reportedly encounters approximately 1,733 food ads annually on television alone, which translates to about five ads daily, according to the note.

The Department of Health says the advertising often uses tactics particularly appealing to children.

“For example, they feature striking graphics and visual design including cartoons, use child humour and fun themes, link promotion of their products to incentives such as free toys and feature movie and sports celebrities popular with children,” wrote the department.

“In addition, behavioural tracking and targeted advertising allows companies to reach children with more precision in digital media.”

The impending advertising ban is expected to have a substantial financial impact on the media industry. The Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) previously estimated that a ban could lead to a collective loss of $956 million annually for media companies, with digital marketing and television advertising being the most affected sectors.

The ACA compiled its statistics in 2018 in response to Bill S-228, which was also titled An Act To Amend The Food And Drugs Act and aimed to impose similar marketing restrictions. It died on the Order paper when Parliament was dissolved in 2019.

Advertisers have expressed concerns, labelling the recent move as “an enormous blow” to the food manufacturing and restaurant industries.

“Fully 52 percent of the industry’s ability to reach adults with television advertising, and 74 percent of the industry’s ability to reach adults with digital advertising, would go away if the proposal were to become law,” said the association.