On 14 June, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) published a study criticising the food marketing sector for using a ‘powerful and persuasive marketing method to target children’ and promote unhealthy foods. This coincides with an explosion in childhood obesity in Europe, an issue which is very important to the Maltese presidency, given the high childhood obesity rates in Malta: according to national estimates, approximately 10% of the national health budget is spent dealing with obesity-related problems, and some 17% of preventable deaths are obesity-related.

There is no doubt that consumers are also responsible for their product choices, but we can tackle some of the underlying factors behind those choices, in particular the aggressive publicity and marketing practices used by many brands in the children’s food sector. There is a health risk which must be addressed by each Member State if they are to prevent their health budget from increasing further.

Where does the Commission stand on this multi-faceted issue?