Unilever to stop food marketing to children below 16

Unilever today said it will stop marketing food and beverages to children under the age of 16 years, across both traditional media and social media, as it announced an update to its global principles for responsible marketing to children.

Unilever noted that the food and beverage industry currently restricts marketing to children under 13 years old in most countries, adding that its enhanced principles look to raise marketing standards for an increasingly digital world.

The FMCG major also pledged that it will not be collecting or storing data on children under 16 and would not use influencers, celebrities or social media stars who are under the age of 16 or primarily appeal to children under the age of 16.

The updated principles also include providing clear and prominent disclosure of provisions to influencers and limiting child appeal to influencer content and continuing to refrain from promoting its brands or products in schools, with the exception of participation in educational campaigns, when specifically requested.

The principles will apply across Unilever’s food and refreshment portfolio, which includes ice cream. The deadline for brands to comply with these further enhanced principles is January 2023.

“Recognising the power that social media and influencer marketing can have on children’s choices, we believe it’s important to raise the bar on responsible marketing to a minimum age of 16 years old across both traditional and social media,” Matt Close, President Ice Cream, Unilever said.

“By making these changes, our goal is to continue to reduce children’s exposure to advertising from the food and beverage industry, and instead support parents to select appropriate treats, to be enjoyed from time to time.”

In 2003, Unilever was one of the first companies to apply specific measures for the marketing of its food and refreshment products to children, and the last major update was in 2020, when Unilever announced it will stop marketing and advertising foods and refreshments to children under the age of 12 in traditional media, and under the age of 13 via social media channels.