Unveiling the Interplay: Childhood Obesity, Impact of Marketing to Kids, and the Pursuit of Effective Regulatory Measures.
Abstract
In an era of pervasive marketing, targeting children has become a subject of growing concern due to its potential impact on their well-being and consumer behaviour. The purpose of this study was both to assess and evaluate why Bill S-228, a legislation aimed at protecting children from the current state of marketing to kids (M2K), failed to become law despite initially passing through the Senate and then through the House. First, a narrative literature review was conducted to describe the current practices for restricting M2K of food products based on global data. Second, using two prominent policy change theories, Advocacy Coalition Theory, and the Multiple Stream Theory, the policy change process of Bill S-228 was evaluated to explore what prevented Bill S-228 from passing a third reading in the Senate. Finally, the third study builds on findings from the first two studies by interviewing stakeholders who were involved in the M2K and Bill S-228 policy process. This analysis revealed that there is variation in the evidence regarding the different M2K policies used globally and in Canada. The analysis also identified several political challenges to advancing Bill S-228 on the policy agenda, including industry influence, nature of the bill (being a private member’s bill), stakeholder involvement, timing, terminology debates, role of evidence, framing of the issue and political influence. Finally, this paper concludes with recommendations based on findings, discussions, and conclusions. These recommendations include having more unity between Health Canada and different parties, addressing resources and capacity limitations, considering obesity as a societal issue, defining clear criteria and definitions, and addressing potential loopholes used by industries.