Cartoons Sweet-Talking Kids Into Sugar-Laden Snacks

Obesity experts urge Senate to consider how unhealthy food is marketed to kids in obesity inquiry

Kids’ snacks and breakfast cereals featuring cartoons or character promotions are almost guaranteed to contain too much sugar, new research from the Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) has revealed.

Of the products containing cartoons or character promotions, the following contained more than 15 grams of sugar per 100 grams*:

100% of kids’ snack bars and packets (all 30 products surveyed)
78% of kids’ breakfast cereals (32 of 41 products surveyed)
17% of kids’ dairy snacks (9 of 53 products surveyed)

Even though not as many kids’ dairy snacks were high in sugar, this category held the worst offenders for amount of sugar per serve. A tub of Choc Yogo with m&ms, with its goofy cartoon gorilla on the lid, contains a whopping eight teaspoons of sugar (21% of the product).

“Kids are easily lured by fun, colourful characters on food packaging,” said OPC Executive Manager Jane Martin.

“But our children don’t need special ‘kid’ products. Our children need real, nutritious, whole foods, in the same way that adults do. The idea that children need specific ‘fun’ foods is nothing more than a marketing ploy to generate pester power in the supermarket.”

How the food industry has contributed to childhood obesity will be a focus of a parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s obesity epidemic. The inquiry will also examine evidence-based measures to prevent childhood obesity.

“Marketers are well aware kids have a lot of power over what parents buy, and they know cartoon characters have this pull,” said Ms Martin.

“At a time when 27% of children are above a healthy weight and tooth decay is the highest cause of acute, preventable hospital stays for Australian children, it’s shocking to see food marketers blatantly push these sugar-laden products onto kids.”

Other sugary kids’ snacks included the Nice’n’Natural Fruit Frogs, which are 60% sugar, and the Scooby Doo Iddy Biddy Fruity Bits, which are 57% sugar (2.6 and 2.9 teaspoons of sugar per serve). Both Frosties and Goldenvale Tweety’s Honey Wheats breakfast cereals are around 40% sugar (3.1 and 2.9 teaspoons per serve).

For maximum health benefits, the World Health Organization recommends adults consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar, including fruit concentrate, in a single day. Children should consume even less.

It’s not just the packaging that’s been carefully designed to tempt children – the sugary products themselves are also designed to keep kids coming back for more, Ms Martin said.

“When children regularly consume sugary foods and drinks, their palates become sweeter and their tastebuds adjust,” Ms Martin said.

“Eating too much sugary food is particularly problematic during a child’s crucial developmental years, as they also miss the opportunity to develop a taste preference for healthier foods.

“This type of unhealthy food marketing is undermining efforts by parents, schools and communities to encourage healthy habits.”

Ms Martin said the OPC wants to see a compulsory, strengthened Health Star Rating System that recognises that sugar processed from fruit is still sugar, and rates products accordingly.

The OPC is also calling for clear ‘added sugar’ labelling on the packaging, which includes sugar from fruit pastes and concentrates, and a 20% health levy on sugary drinks.

Submissions to the parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s obesity epidemic are open until 6 July, with a report due 14 August.

About the analysis

This OPC survey looked at 53 dairy snacks, 30 snack bars, and 41 breakfast cereals that featured cartoons or character promotions.

*The analysis was conducted using the Australian Department of Health’s recommendations around limiting foods with sugar more than 15 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Foods that did not meet this threshold were considered high sugar.

About the Obesity Policy Coalition

The OPC is a partnership between Cancer Council Victoria, Diabetes Victoria and the Global Obesity Centre at Deakin University, a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention. The OPC advocates for evidence-based policy and regulatory change to address overweight, obesity and unhealthy diets in Australia.

The most sugary kids’ foods using cartoon and character promotions

Foods with the most sugar per serve in each category, according to the analysis.

SNACK BARS AND PACKETS	Sugar per serve (tsp)	% Sugar
Nice and Natural Raspberry Fruit Frogs 136ml pack; 17ml serve	2.6	60.3
Hot Shots Fruit Tails Duos: Orange and raspberry 160ml pack; 20ml serve	3.0	59.5
Hot Shots Scooby Doo Iddy Biddy Fruity Bits 160ml pack; 20ml serve	2.9	57
LEDA Dunk-ies 135ml pack; 22.5ml serve	2.5	43.7
Moo Free Limited MiniMoos Bunnycomb bars 75ml pack; 25ml serve	2.5	40.5
CEREALS	Sugar per serve (tsp)	% Sugar
Kelloggs Frosties 350ml pack; 30ml serve	3.1	41.3
Aldi Goldenvale Tweety’s Honey Wheats 750ml pack; 30ml serve	2.9	39
Kelloggs Froot Loops 500, 285ml packs; 30ml serve. 25mL fun pack serve	2.9 2.4 in fun pack size	38
Kelloggs Coco Pops Chex 500ml pack; 30ml serve	2.8	37.4
Kelloggs Coco Pops 375ml pack; 30ml serve. 25mL fun pack serve	2.7 2.3 in fun pack size	36.5
DAIRY SNACKS	Sugar per serve (tsp)	% Sugar
Lion YoGo Choc YoGo and mini m&ms 150ml tub serve	7.8	20.8
Munchables Choc mousse 12x pack; 50ml serve	2.4	18.8
Aldi Brooklea Chocolate Stampede dairy snack 140ml tub serve	6.5	18.6
Pauls Milky Max Chocolate dairy snack 12x pack; 100ml tub serve	4.5	17.8
Aldi Brooklea Chocolate Stampede dairy snack 100ml tub serve	4.2	16.8
Coles Choc Snack 12x pack; 100ml tub serve	4.1	16.2