Cadbury web campaign aimed at children is banned by watchdog

A CADBURY advert targeting children online has been banned in the first crackdown of its kind to combat obesity.

The Advertising Standards Authority banned campaigns by Cadbury, Chewits and Squashies sweets after rules changed last year on the online marketing of foods high in fat, sugar and salt to under-16s.

The ban extends controls on TV advertising and comes amid growing concern that one in three youngsters is now overweight or obese by the age of 11.

The ASA took action after a series of Facebook posts promoted Chewits sweets to children. Meanwhile, a smartphone app featured a game where players matched pairs of Squashies. Cadbury had run a promotion with the National Trust for Scotland via its website to promote its chocolate eggs.

The ASA said all three campaigns broke industry codes which prevent targeting children in this way, and banned the companies from running them in the future.

However, health campaigners said a tougher regime was needed.

Barbara Crowther, from the Children’s Food Campaign, said: ‘We’re pleased to see the ASA undertaking due diligence ... however, it took six months for decisions to be reached, by which time the advertising campaigns had long ago concluded.’

Swedish firm Cloetta, which makes Chewits, argued its campaign was aimed at parents and young adults. But Swizzels, which makes Squashies, said its app carried an age check designed to ensure it was not played by children.

Cadbury said it would apply the ASA’s ‘insights and views’ to ‘build upon our long-standing commitment to not market directly to children under the age of 16.’

The ruling comes after the National Trust itself was criticised for ‘airbrushing faith’ by replacing ‘Easter Egg Trails’ with ‘Cadbury Egg Hunts’.