The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, pledged, in an event with Pau Gasol, to reduce childhood obesity, a top-level public health problem in Spain. There were no shortage of photos of his commitment to comprehensive strategies and plans to reduce one of the evils that most affects Spanish children. These strategies went through a decree that had to put limits on the advertising of unhealthy and insane food for this population group and that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, with Alberto Garzón at the helm, finished drafting in the summer. But the veto of the Ministry of Agriculture, led by Luis Planas, to this text has prevented it from going ahead and there is no time left, according to sources of consumption, for it to become a reality in this legislature.
Because? Because a decree of this nature (which affects telecommunications) must go through the European Commission to see if they have any objections. Sources from the Garzón department say that this process takes three months. It will then have to be reviewed by the Council of State, which takes at least another two months. And the electoral calendar is imminent. Goodbye to the decree.
Why has Agriculture refused? Planas has not explained it in specific details (the report of the decree is not public), but he has justified his refusal by saying that he is more in favor of self-regulation of the industry. For almost two decades there has been a self-regulatory code (the so-called PAOS code) that has clearly proven ineffective. Children can at any time see unhealthy food with the image of their favorite character both on TV, tablet and mobile. And not once, but a thousand times, they indicate from consumer organizations.
In the meeting held by vice-president Yolanda DÃaz with Pedro Sánchez to assess how the coalition agreement signed by Unides Podemos and the PSOE is going, the situation has not been resolved. In fact, according to the organizations of the Alliance for a Healthy Food, “the pressure of the food industry has succeeded in having the royal decree struck down” of the Annual Normative Plan of 2023, that is to say, the one that envisages debating and approving the Council of Ministers
Ban the advertising of unhealthy products (including chocolates, candies, cookies, desserts, juices and ice creams) on all children’s television channels, cinemas showing films suitable for all audiences, in press aimed at minors and websites, applications, social networks and video sharing services whose content is intended for minors under the age of 16. Youtubers and influencers will also not be able to advertise these products. The ban is not absolute. Following the guidelines established by the World Health Organization (WHO), those that widely exceed established indices can never be advertised, while the rest could be advertised if they do not exceed the amount of sugar, salt or fat marked for each 100 grams for each.
The Alliance for a Healthy Food believes that “the suspension of the regulation of advertising aimed at children represents an attack against the fundamental rights of childhood, health, truthful information or education. Regulating the advertising of unhealthy food aimed at children is a duty of the Government, which must put the rights of children before the interests of the food industry”, he points out.
