Advertising that targets children: Ensuring the best protection possible (in French only)

Organization

Option consommateurs

Published

2008

Summary

Young people constitute a very important segment of the consumer population and businesses are outdoing themselves to win them over, through Internet advertising, product placements, use of logos, derived products and so on. But what about the effects of such advertising on the children themselves? Do they really understand the motives behind the advertisers’ tactics of persuasion? What is the best way to protect them? Is the voluntary code of practice applied in Canada sufficient to protect children from advertising that targets them directly? Would it be better to go for a system of legal controls like the one adopted in Quebec? This study addresses this increasingly important issue by examining political and legislative measures put in place in the rest of Canada and in certain other countries to protect children against advertising aimed exclusively at them. More precisely, it attempts to compare two types of controls: legal controls (state regulation) and voluntary controls (self-regulation), and to determine their impact.

With this aim in view, we first of all consider the ability of children to understand advertising and its effects. We then describe the legal instruments and voluntary undertakings (self-regulation) current in Canada and present the opinions of various key players on this topic, i.e. representatives of the advertising industry, government and various groups (e.g., the Alliance for Children and Television, the Canadian Advertisers’ Association, and the media education resource centre at the Office de la Protection du consommateur.

To better understand the two control mechanisms that exist in Quebec and Canada, we have decided to compare them with the measures in force in a number of other countries. This study therefore presents the international statutory basis with regard to children and advertising. We then describe the situation in the United States, the European Union, Sweden, Norway and France. We also refer briefly to certain measures adopted in Germany, Greece, Great Britain and Denmark.

In conclusion, we give examples of advertisements directed at children that were launched recently in Quebec, including some that were the object of complaints to the Office de la protection du consommateur.

In order to better identify the best way of protecting children against the advertising targeting them and to find answers to our questions, we reviewed the Canadian, American and European literature on the subject, and conducted semi-directed interviews with key players.

All things considered, the system of voluntary codes and the current system of legal controls both have their advantages and disadvantages. As for the legal system of controls, its sole objective is to protect children. Seeing children as vulnerable, Quebec availed itself of a strict regulatory instrument that has won recognition throughout the world. On the other hand, having a law that protects the children is not everything. One still needs a body to ensure that it is respected. With this aim in view, it is absolutely necessary that the Office de la protection des consommateurs be accorded the necessary financial resources.

On the other hand, the Canadian system of voluntary codes is interesting for its flexibility, its transparency and its representativeness. This model created by the industry is effective and is strictly respected by the majority of advertisers. However, it nevertheless happens that there are advertisements that target children and attempt to sell products to these consumers, who are as yet unable to make enlightened choices.

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French only

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OCA Funded Research
This research received funding support through the Office of Consumer Affairs' Contributions Program.

Contact information

Source: Consumer Policy Research Database