UNICEF calls on Health Dept to ensure responsible food marketing, advertising

CAPE TOWN - The United Nations (UN) Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), has called on the Health Department to implement measures to encourage responsible marketing and advertising of food.

The call comes as Deputy Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla led a commemoration of Nutrition Week event at the University of Western Cape (UWC) on Thursday.

Nutrition Week is observed from 9 to 15 October annually.

READ: Phaahla on drive to get South Africans to make healthier food choices

UNICEF said many food producers trick consumers into buying and eating unhealthy foods through their advertising gimmicks. 

It's calling for the laws around advertising and marketing to be amended to combat unhealthy eating habits.

Speaking at the event at the University of the Western Cape, UNICEF's representative, Irfan Akhtar, said: "The advertisement we have, the tools they are using are really influencing the behaviour of the young population to attract to us those ultra processed food. But I think we should be very clear that unhealthy died has a huge implication on our health."

Akhtar added that South Africa is the one of the largest producers of healthy food but logistics in distributing healthy food products remains a challenge.