The Advertising Code Commission has sued McDonald’s for the use of popular children’s characters such as SpongeBob, Batman and Wonder Woman. The fast food chain would have violated the advertising code with this.
Since 2020, children’s idols are no longer allowed to be on packaging of unhealthy food. Despite this, a McDonald’s branch in Amsterdam posted an image of a hamburger box on Instagram last year with a SpongeBob toy figure on top. The McDonald’s website featured a picture of superheroes on the front of a Happy Meal.
‘Grey area’
Action group Foodwatch submitted complaints about this to the Advertising Code Committee and has now been proved right. Foodwatch, however, was not in favor of McDonald’s raffling gifts among Instagram followers and advertising on videos of popular YouTubers. The action group had also filed official complaints about this.
Foodwatch regrets that the latter complaints have been rejected. “Popular influencers advertise McDonald’s junk food via social media. Also influencers that are extremely popular with children,” says Elif Stepman of the action group. “The gray area in the regulations allows them to continue to do this.” Foodwatch wants a total ban on children’s marketing up to the age of 18 for all products that fall outside the so-called Wheel of Five.
McDonald’s agrees with the verdict. The company tells ANP news agency that it has been critically reviewing its own working method since the complaints were filed last year. The fast food company also says that the advertisements with influencers are primarily aimed at young people above 16 years of age.
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