TABLE G-1 Statutory Regulations and Voluntary Guidelines for Television Advertising to Children in Selected Countries
Region/Country |
Statutory Regulations |
Voluntary Guidelines |
Specific Restrictions or Guidelines for Television Advertising to Children |
Africa |
Regulatory Authorities |
Self-Regulatory Organizations |
|
South Africa |
|
Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa |
Advertisements addressed to or likely to influence children should not contain any statement or visual presentation which might result in harming them, mentally, morally, physically, or emotionally. A child is defined as younger than 18 years of age. |
Asia |
Regulatory Authorities |
Self-Regulatory Organizations |
|
China |
State Administration of Industry and Commerce |
|
Advertisements must not impair the physical and mental health of minors. Product placement is discouraged wherever possible. A child is defined as younger than 15 years of age. |
Japan |
|
National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan |
A child is defined as younger than 18 years of age. |
Australasia and Pacific |
Regulatory Authorities |
Self-Regulatory Organizations |
|
Australia |
Australian Broadcasting Authority |
Commercial Television Australia Advertising Standards Bureau oversees the Advertising Standards Board and the |
Prohibits advertising during programs aimed at younger children, restricts the amount of advertising during programming for older children, and limits advertisements featuring |
Region/Country |
Statutory Regulations |
Voluntary Guidelines |
Specific Restrictions or Guidelines for Television Advertising to Children |
|
|
Advertising Claims Board |
children’s television personalities. A child is defined as 14 years of age and younger. |
New Zealand |
|
Advertising Standards Authority New Zealand Television Broadcasters’ Council |
No advertisements are allowed to be broadcast on preschool television or Sunday mornings. There is limited advertising in school-age children’s television. Prohibits products from being advertised within a television program that come directly from a program or its licensed characters. Repetition of advertisements is limited per hour and per channel. |
Philippines |
|
AdBoard |
|
Europe |
Regulatory Authorities |
Self-Regulatory Organizations |
|
EUa |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive |
European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) |
Prohibits advertisements to children that (1) exploit their inexperience or credulity; (2) understate the degree of skill or age level required to use or enjoy the product; and (3) contain any statement or visual presentation that could have the effect of harming mentally, morally, or physically. The ICC’s Commission on Marketing and Advertising adheres to the Framework for Responsible Food and Beverage Communications. Minors are defined under national laws. |
Belgium |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive |
Jury for Ethical Practices in Advertising |
Prohibits advertising before and after children’s television programs. |
|
The Ministry of Economic Affairs; Ministry of Public Health; High Audiovisual Council; Flemish Media Commissariat |
The World Federation of Advertisers oversees the Responsible Advertising and Children Programme |
See EU. A child is defined as younger than 12 years of age. |
Czech Republic |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive |
Rada Pro Reklamu |
Advertising of various content is banned to children that shows them in dangerous situations. See EU. |
Denmark |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive The Market Court; The Consumer Ombudsman; The Consumer Council; The Radio and Television Advertisements Board; The National Food Institute |
Reklame Forum |
Prohibits figures and puppets that appear in children’s programs from appearing in advertisements. See EU. A child is defined as younger than 18 years of age. |
Finland |
Consumer Protection Act Consumer Ombudsmen |
Board of Business Practice |
Advertisements are prohibited that attempt to persuade a child to buy a product through a direct offer. Advertisements are prohibited in which sales pitches are delivered by familiar cartoon characters or children. A child is defined as younger than 12 years of age. |
France |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive |
Bureau de Vérification de la Publicité |
Provides several recommendations to ensure that advertising does not exploit the inexperience or innocence of children. See EU. |
Region/Country |
Statutory Regulations |
Voluntary Guidelines |
Specific Restrictions or Guidelines for Television Advertising to Children |
Greece |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive |
Hellenic Association of Advertising Communications and Greek Advertisers’ Association |
Enforces restrictions on advertising to children during specific times. See EU. |
Hungary |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive Országos Rádió és Televízió Testület (National Radio and Television Commission) |
Hungarian Advertising Association created the Hungarian Code of Advertising Ethics |
Provides guidelines pertaining to advertising made for or featuring children. See EU. |
Ireland |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive Broadcasting Commission of Ireland |
Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) |
RTE prohibits broadcast sponsorship of any children’s programs. See EU. |
Italy |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive |
Istituto di Autodisciplina Publicitaria (IAP) (Institute for Self-Regulation in Advertising) |
Enforces advertising guidelines developed for programs featuring children including during cartoons and using cartoon characters before and after the television programs in which they appear. |
Netherlands |
EU Directive on Comparative Advertising |
The Advertising Foundation |
Bans advertising of alcohol and sweets on television to children. A child is defined as younger than 12 years of age. |
Norway |
Norwegian Mass Authority The Consumer Ombudsmen |
|
Instituted a ban on advertising to children younger than 12 years of age in 1992. |
|
|
|
Prohibits broadcast advertising before and after children’s programs through the Norwegian Marketing Control Act. |
Sweden |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive The Consumer Ombudsmen |
Council on Market Ethics |
Instituted a ban on advertising to children younger than 12 years of age in 1991. Prohibits advertising during children’s programs and on using television characters or presenters in advertisements. |
United Kingdom |
EU Television Without Frontiers Directive Office of Communications (Ofcom) |
Advertising Standards Authority |
Prohibits children’s television personalities from advertising before a specific time and includes language prohibiting merchandising within two hours of a television program. Created advertising-free children’s television channels. A child is defined as younger than 16 years of age. |
Latin America |
Regulatory Authorities |
Self-Regulatory Organizations |
|
Argentina |
Federal regulations for advertising |
Camara Argentina de Anunciantes (Argentine Chamber of Advertisers) Association of Advertising Agencies in Argentina, Unified Code of Ethics of the Mercosur |
Advertising directed at children and adolescents must adhere to established guidelines. |
Brazil |
Consumer Defense Code |
Association of Advertising Agencies in Brazil, Unified Code of Ethics of the Mercosur Self-regulating Advertising Council (CONAR) |
Advertising directed at children and adolescents must adhere to established guidelines. |
Region/Country |
Statutory Regulations |
Voluntary Guidelines |
Specific Restrictions or Guidelines for Television Advertising to Children |
Chile |
Antitrust and Unfair Advertising Competition Commission |
CONAR |
Alcohol advertising must not contain messages or be broadcast in media or at times especially addressed to minors and must not encourage them to consume alcoholic beverages. |
Mexico |
Attorney General for Consumer Protection Ministry of the Interior Ministry of Health |
Consejo Nacional de la Publicidad (National Council for Advertising) |
Guidelines provide direction on how to avoid taking advantage of children’s credulity or lack of experience. Regulations for children’s television advertising have not yet been developed. |
Paraguay |
Federal regulations connected to the subject |
Council for Self-Regulatory Advertising Associations of Advertising Agencies in Paraguay, Unified Code of Ethics of the Mercosur |
Prohibits publicity of tobacco and alcoholic beverages that use minors as well as characters or people that are representative of children or adolescents. Advertising directed at children and adolescents are advised to follow guidelines. |
Peru |
|
Asociación Nacional de Anunciantes (ANDA) |
|
Middle East |
Regulatory Authorities |
Self-Regulatory Organizations |
|
Israel |
Ministry of Communications |
|
Regulates content and hours of television and radio broadcasting according to the 2001 Law of Classification, Labeling, and Prohibition of Harmful Broadcasts and the 1991 consumer protection law that regulates advertising content directed to minors. |
TABLE G-2 Statutory or Voluntary Regulations for Marketing Approaches Used for Food and Beverage Promotion to Children
Selected Region or Country |
Television Advertising |
In-School Marketing |
Sponsorship |
Product Placementa |
Internet Marketingb |
Sales Promotions |
Africa |
|
|||||
South Africa |
X |
|
X |
|
|
|
Asia |
|
|||||
China |
X |
|
X |
X |
|
|
India |
X |
|
|
|
|
X |
Japan |
X |
X |
|
|
X |
|
Russian Federation |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
|
|||||
Australasia and Pacific |
|
|||||
Australia |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
New Zealand |
X |
|
|
X |
|
|
Philippines |
X |
|
|
X |
|
|
Latin America |
|
|||||
Argentina |
X |
|
||||
Brazil |
X |
X |
|
|||
Chile |
X |
|
||||
Mexico |
X |
|
X |
|
||
Europe |
|
|||||
Austria |
X |
|
|
X |
X |
|
Belgium |
X |
X |
|
X |
|
X |
Czech Republic |
X |
|
|
X |
|
|
Denmark |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
|
Finland |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
France |
X |
X |
|
|
X |
X |
Germany |
X |
X |
|
X |
|
X |
Greece |
X |
X |
|
X |
|
X |
REFERENCES
BCI (Broadcasting Commission of Ireland). 2001. Children’s Advertising Code. Dublin, Ireland: BCI.
Friedman AE, Dickler H. 2003. International Advertising Clearance. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance.
Hawkes C. 2004. Marketing Food to Children: The Global Regulatory Environment. Geneva: World Health Organization.