Look who has egg on their face now?

Green MP Sue Kedgley today hailed the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) ruling that The Warehouse's marketing of the What A Pig Easter egg was socially irresponsible, saying it was a victory for children's health and a defeat for petty political point-scorers who sought to trivialise serious issues.

Ms Kedgley, the Green Party's Safe Food spokesperson, said she hoped that the unanimous ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority Complaints Board would send a strong message to food manufacturers that they should stop exploitative marketing to children.

"It's high time our manufacturers stopped using irresponsible marketing techniques which encourage children to eat to excess, and targeting children with unhealthy food," said Ms Kedgley.

"Giving kids the message that they are wimps and losers if they can't devour a one kilogram chocolate egg in less than 15 minutes is simply encouraging children to become obese.

"There's no point wringing our hands as a society about the obesity epidemic amongst children - and spending millions of dollars on health costs associated with obesity - if we continue to allow these completely irresponsible marketing practices aimed squarely at encouraging kids to get fat.

"Food companies have a responsibility, as does every other group in society, to play their part in helping to reduce the underlying causes of obesity. Frankly, food manufacturers are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic in society at the moment," she said.

Ms Kedgley said the Warehouse's marketing clearly breached the advertising of food guideline that stipulates that advertisements should not encourage excessive consumption of any particular food.

It also breached the requirement of the Code of Advertising of Food, which says that 'all food advertisements should be prepared with a due sense of social responsibility to consumers and to society'.

"It was disappointing that food manufacturers and some members of parliament, including the Minister of Health, sought to trivialise the very valid concerns raised by the Warehouse's marketing of these obesity-boosting eggs," said Ms Kedgley.

"I hope they will take notice of the ASA's commonsense decision and see fit to wipe the egg off their faces before they embarrass themselves any further."

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