Majority of Young People Support a Ban on Influencer Advertising for Unhealthy Foods
Consumer advocates are calling for a ban
The majority of young people in Germany want a ban on influencer advertising for unhealthy foods. This is according to a representative survey commissioned by the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) and obtained by the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" (noz). According to the survey, 57 percent of 14- to 25-year-olds agree with the statement that influencers should not advertise unhealthy foods.
“Social media is full of ads for products that are high in sugar or fat, as well as questionable dietary recommendations. Children and teenagers are particularly susceptible to this,” vzbv board member Ramona Pop told noz. “Policymakers must better protect young people and ban influencer advertising for unhealthy foods.”
Four out of ten young people also reported having already purchased at least one food item because it was recommended by an influencer. At the same time, 87 percent of those surveyed said they could easily recognize advertising on social media. From the vzbv’s perspective, this shows that mandatory labeling requirements for advertising on social media are insufficient. Influencer marketing is effective precisely because products are embedded in personal stories, everyday routines, and supposedly authentic recommendations.
The association is therefore calling for a ban on influencer advertising for foods high in sugar, fat, or salt that do not meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) nutritional criteria for children. “Policymakers must better protect young people and ban influencer advertising for unhealthy foods,” said Pop.
For the representative online survey, the forsa Institute, commissioned by the vzbv, surveyed 547 people aged 14 to 25 from October 4 to 12.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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