Norway bans marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to children.
Vitaminveien 4, 0483 Oslo, Norway.
Marketing and Regulation, Desirability, Norms and Preferences
National
Citizens/Consumers, Businesses, Public Sector
Ongoing
The policy aims to protect children up to the age of 18 by prohibiting the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks. This reduces children's exposure to negative commercial pressures associated with unhealthy diets and promotes healthier dietary choices. Method: It moves from voluntary rules (MFU) to a legal framework with supervision and sanctions for non-compliance and allows a six month transition period after entry into force.
The policy evolved from the industry self-regulation scheme, MFU, which previously protected only children up to 13. It started in 2007 and had updates in 2009 and 2013. In 2013, the Ministry of Health proposed tightening restrictions to cover persons under 18 rather than younger age limits. But industry resistance led to compromises. A research from Oslo Metropolitan University also showed that 8 out of 10 food and drink advertisements violated WHO guidelines by promoting unhealthy nutrition to children, which provided compelling evidence for stricter regulation. The new regulation enters into force on 25 April 2025, with a transition period of six months to give the industry time to adapt to the regulation and move from self-regulation to legal regulation. The legislative initiative represents a major step forward in preventive health measures addressing diet-related challenges. This was then aligned with WHO recommendations and responds to alarming data showing rising rates of overweight and obesity among Norwegian school children.
The Norwegian Directorate of Health is responsible for supervision and enforcement. The regulation introduces clear sanctions for non-compliance and monitors adherence to nutrient thresholds and products lists.
The policy does not prohibit the sale of these products to children but bans their marketing to children. The most unhealthy products are automatically covered by the ban. The nutrients products of other products determine whether they may be marketed to children. A product list was made available to specify which food and drink are included. The regulation enters into force on 25 April 2025, with a transition period of six months to give the industry time to adapt to the regulation. The Directorate of Health is the supervisory authority and has been commissioned to prepare a guide to the regulation. The policy is in an early implementation stage; measurable health outcomes are expected in coming years.