Parents put food on trial

23 April 2002

A Parents Jury will put children's food and food advertising on trial, in a new project launched by the Food Commission, the UK's leading independent watchdog on food.

The jury will decide which foods and drinks should be sold as suitable for children. and which should be kicked off the shelves.

Members of the Parents Jury will nominate products and marketing practices, and will vote on awards including:

• The 'Additive Nightmare' award for the children's food that relies most on artificial sweeteners, colours and flavourings for its appeal to children.
• The 'Pester Power' award for the marketing technique that most encourages children to nag their parents for junk food.
• The 'Happy Gnashers' award for the product that best helps steer children away from developing a sweet tooth.
• The 'High Five' award for the best promotion of fruit and vegetables to children.

'We know that parents feel strongly about children's food and the way children's food is advertised,' said nutritionist Annie Seeley, who is coordinating the jury. 'They find that most of it is high in fat, salt, sugar or additives, and that food manufacturers use dubious techniques to market it. But parents don't know who to complain to. The Parents Jury is a chance for them to say what they think.'

Mums and dads with a child or children between 2 and 16 years old are invited to join the Parents Jury, which will give them a chance to make their voices heard and to improve the health of children throughout the UK. The Food Commission will use the parents' comments and suggestions to urge food manufacturers, food advertisers and the government to improve children's food.

Click here to view original article from The Food Magazine, pages 1 & 20 (pdf, 88k)