THE IMPACT OF THE 21ST CENTURY FOOD MARKETING ON CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOUR

Abstract

This paper aims to raise a question mark regarding children's food habits in the last decades in Romania, and how globalization, marketing and advertising influenced and changed our old romanian food prefferences. We will highlight that children spent a lot of time watching TV, choosing a cartoon character, or an advertising star on the same age as him/her as a model, and then copying their behaviour, and acting like them. So, they have the idea that they will gain their parents love and their colleagues appreciation. The rise of obesity is one of today's biggest societal challenges. Thus, to halt obesity has become a goal in several political sustainability strategies. The focus is on children since their health behaviour is expected to have a strong impact on consumers in adulthood. To fight childhood obesity, the challenge is to develop the right policy toolbox. One complicating aspect amongst others is the numerousness of actors involved. To find a policy mix and assess its consequences for all actors, it is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms the impact of external and internal factors on children's health behaviour. Tools such as regulation, information and education appear to be insufficient to curb this unsustainable consumption behaviour.

Keywords

• food marketing, advertising, children, gatekeepers, ethic code