children drinking milk

A pivotal moment at CAP

Sir, The recent decision by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) to launch a consultation and potential ban on the non-broadcast advertising of unhealthy products to children marks a pivotal moment for marketers in the food and drinks sector, and is entirely welcomed by CIM (‘CAP plans on HFSS spark row about age limit,’ 14 May, p5).

It’s significant to see the advertising industry leading a voluntary way forward. This progressive approach will enhance the reputation of brands, and inspire the trust of customers. Any form of marketing to young audiences can be done ethically if it is transparent, with marketers clearly demonstrating they have nothing to hide.

Chris Daly, CEO, CIM (The Chartered Institute of Marketing)




Britvic welcomes review

Sir, At Britvic we welcome the CAP review, pride ourselves on the strength of our Global Marketing Code, and are committed to high standards when it comes to protecting children. We never advertise to children under 12 and no high sugar products are marketed to under 16s. In fact, we took the bold decision to stop producing the added-sugar ranges of Fruit Shoot and Robinsons as part of our 2020 health commitments. Three-quarters of our marketing budget is spent promoting low and no-sugar alternatives and we are committed to using the power of our brands to encourage healthier lifestyles to make a real difference to kids’ lives.

Matt Barwell, chief marketing officer, Britvic




Wessanen backs Grocer

Sir, Wessanen UK is proud to publicly support The Grocer’s Waste Not Want Not campaign. Excess stock and the resultant food waste is a constant challenge for all grocery suppliers, and as a business we are committed to hitting the magic number of zero. We now have a working relationship with FareShare. But we also believe there should be full accountability and ownership along the stock-building journey, and that this process should be very efficiently managed. We work closely with retailers nationwide to forecast demand and buying habits as much as possible. It takes a great deal of supply chain management to get right, but we’re hugely focused on making a difference.

Alan Bird, commercial director, Wessanen UK

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