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Packaging experts and a major cereal brand have used a new packagingnews.co.uk forum to speak out against a Which? report that criticised the use of cartoon characters on packs for kids' products.

The consumer organisation’s ‘Food Fables – the Second Sitting’ report, published last week, singled out a number of brands including Kellogg’s, Nestle and Haribo for their on-pack marketing and promotions which, the organisation said, encouraged too much consumption of unhealthy foods.

Packaging was just one of a number of issues in the report on food marketing to children, which aimed to highlight the link between marketing and the UK’s obesity problem.

But the industry has used Packaging News’ recently-launched Soap Box forum to argue that packaging design cannot be held responsible for the  obesity among youngsters.

Stephen Wilkins, chairman of the Child Safe Packaging Group, wrote on the forum: It is not inherently wrong to 'advertise to children' neither is it wrong to brand build a range children's food by creating desire amongst children and prompting them to ask parents to purchase.

But we must not overdo it. If we adhere to the Code of Advertising Practice which, amongst other things says, that children should not be encouraged to eat late at night and should not be persuaded to replace main meals with an all day diet of snack foods(CAP section 47), then we are acting as responsible packaging producers.

Other comments expressed readers’ frustration that packaging was under the spotlight when wider lifestyle issues were perhaps more relevant to the obesity problem.

James Smith wrote: Why isn't the Government under attack over obesity? If PE was a higher priority in schools and playing fields had not been sold for housing developments the obesity problem would be nothing on what it is today.

Another reader, Matt Whipp, added: Of course companies will use ideas that appeal to kids on products for kids. If you want to protect our fatty little darlings you need mandates on the contents, not the packaging.

Kellogg’s has also used the Soap Box forum respond to the report. Spokeswoman Kate Hannah wrote: Which? have told us they are pleased with the changes we’ve made in the way we market our products. All our promotions now focus on family entertainment, activity and education.

In the UK, we are not using either third-party licensed characters to market to children or toy inserts in cereal boxes. Kellogg has also implemented enhanced global marketing guidelines limiting our use of licensed properties in marketing to children.

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