"There is an emergency": associations want to ban advertising of products that are too fatty and sugary

The League Against Cancer, the consumer protection association CLCV, the French Federation of Diabetics, Action Against Hunger... 87 associations and organizations are appealing to the government this Wednesday in an open letter and calling on it to "raise" the ambitions of the National Food Strategy (SNANC).

In the document, sent to AFP, the various organizations deplore the "incomprehensible delay" in developing this strategy provided for by the 2021 Climate and Resilience Act, and in particular call on the government to prohibit advertising and marketing for certain products deemed unhealthy.

"Studies and recognized organizations such as the WHO and ANSES establish a direct link between the overconsumption of these products and the exposure we have to them through marketing and advertising," Nadia Ziane, director of the consumer affairs division at the Familles Rurales association, a signatory of the letter, explained on RMC this Wednesday. The letter reiterates the urgency of the situation, as one in two people in France is overweight, and 10 million adults are obese.

Nadia Ziane cites the examples of Chile, Argentina, and the United Kingdom, where advertising bans have been implemented. "We realize that in these countries, it hasn't caused significant advertising damage. Moreover, it has clearly reduced the consumption of these overly fatty, overly sweet, and overly salty products, with a positive impact on children's health," Nadia Ziane explains on Charles Matin.

Consumers are "influenced," she denounces, "it's not patronizing." "Children, in particular, don't have the ability to understand that we are inducing behaviors in them. Once again, this is scientifically established. When we expose them to other foods, they adopt other eating behaviors."

"When our producers sell fruits and vegetables, it brings them 11 billion. When consumers buy them, it costs us 22 billion. That means 11 billion that is taken by middlemen," denounces Nadia Ziane.

Five major retailers have also recently sent a letter to the government, amid widespread criticism of the sector's delay in transitioning to healthier and more sustainable food.

In this letter, Auchan, Carrefour, Casino, Intermarché and Coopérative U ask the government to introduce "environmental labelling" and "public awareness campaigns on sustainable food" based on the "5 fruits and vegetables a day" campaigns, while also stating that they are ready to make "efforts" to "highlight and offer promotions for products that are most beneficial to health and the environment."

"We're passing the buck to the public authorities; we need common rules so that healthy products benefit from the same marketing strategy. We can no longer place everything on the consumers' shoulders," Stéphanie Pierre, advocacy officer for France Assos Santé, told RMC.

"We also have a topic about how the different links in the chain make profits on products," Nadia Ziane emphasizes. "The fruit and vegetable section brings in €265 million for supermarkets, while the pastry section causes a deficit of €65 million. We need to change our paradigm."