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Amica Chips and ICA Foods, two major Italian savoury snack companies with a growing international presence, have voluntarily joined the EU Pledge initiative on food marketing to children. The two companies join twenty other brand owners, which account for over 80% of the EU's food and beverage advertising spend. Together, the companies have committed to changing what they advertise to children.

Facilitated and endorsed by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), this flagship initiative is a response to the European Commission's 2005 Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. The platform looks at how overweight and obesity can be tackled in Europe through coordinated action by a variety of industries.

In this context, signatories of the EU pledge commit to no food and beverage advertising to children under twelve years, except for products which fulfil specific nutrition criteria, and to no communication related to products in primary schools The commitment also extends to children's print publications, online advertising and company-owned websites.

By signing the EU Pledge, Amica Chips and ICA Foods commit to applying these standards across the EU as of 1 July 2014. The two Italian companies thus join the twenty other EU pledge signatories: Burger King, Coca-Cola, Danone, Ferrero, Friesland Campina, General Mills, Kellogg's, Mars, McDonald's, Mondelez, Nestlé, PepsiCo., the Quick Group, Unilever, Estrella Maarud, Intersnack, Lorenz Snack-World, The Chips Group, Unichips - San Carlo, Zweifel Pomy-Chips and Quick Group.

“The EU pledge is the gold standard when it comes to responsible food marketing communications in Europe. We are delighted that Amica Chips and ICA Foods join. The growing number of signatories is proof in itself of the ongoing relevance and credibility of the initiative”, said Stephan Loerke, Managing Director of the World Federation of Advertisers.

“We are delighted to become part of the EU Pledge. Amica Chips is proud of making a contribution to this important programme”, said Andrea Romanò, Vice Chairman of Amica Chips.

“ICA Foods is committed to responsibility in marketing communications. The decision to join the EU Pledge lends weight and credibility to our ambition of supporting parents in promoting healthy lifestyles for their children”, said Alberto Finestauri, CEO of ICA Foods.

In addition, Amica Chips and ICA Foods will take part in the 2015 annual EU Pledge third-party monitoring programme. This means that their marketing practices will be audited independently and the overall results will be published annually on www.eu-pledge.eu.

The audits carried out so far show children are exposed to considerably less advertising for all food products.

According to the latest monitoring data, since 2005 children see on average across all EU markets:

• 31% less ads for all EU pledge products on TV across all programming
• 47% less ads for products that do not meet the nutrition criteria
• 82% less ads for products not meeting the criteria in and around children's programmes. The total compliance rate for print and online advertising was 100%, while the compliance rate for advertising in schools was 98%
• For company-owned websites, the European Advertising Standard Alliance verified 343 websites across the EU to check whether companies were directly targeting children under 12 with products not meeting the nutrition criteria. The total compliance rate was 94%

CLICK HERE to access an infographic which explains the commitments and the monitoring results.

For more information, contact [email protected]


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