The stream of unregulated junk food ads targeting Kiwi kids
Children are especially vulnerable to the influence of advertising, which is now more sophisticated and personalised than ever.
Children in Aotearoa are now targeted by advertisers in a wide variety of contexts, both physical and digital, and in a more systematic, integrated and personalised way than ever before.
These days, ads aren't just something children see between TV programmes. They are woven into their physical environment and the digital platforms they use to learn, play and socialise.
Our new research showed just how pervasive this exposure is.
We used data from the earlier Kids’Cam observational study, which tracked 90 New Zealand children’s real-world experiences using wearable cameras that captured what they were looking at from waking up to going to sleep.
On average, we found children encountered marketing for “unhealthy” products – junk food, alcohol and gambling, 76 times per day. That’s almost two-and-a-half times more than their daily exposure to “healthy” marketing.
Coca-Cola topped the list of most frequently encountered brands, appearing 6.3 times a day on average. The findings also show stark inequalities. Children from more socioeconomically deprived areas were exposed to significantly more unhealthy marketing for junk food.
Why exposure matters
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Advertising directed at children extends far beyond simply promoting products. It profoundly shapes their cognitive, social and behavioural development.
Research has shown it can spark an immediate desire for products and contribute to conflict between children and parents.
It can also influence the formation of broader consumption values and desires. Advertising exposure has been linked to increased materialism, by associating possessions with happiness and success.
However, materialism is consistently associated with lower self-esteem, reduced well-being, and weaker social relationships because it shifts focus away from intrinsic sources of fulfilment such as personal growth and connection.
Moreover, marketing plays a pivotal role in shaping children’s beliefs, attitudes and social norms.
There is evidence connecting advertising to the internalisation of gender and racial stereotypes and distorted body image. It has also been linked to the early use of harmful products such as tobacco and alcohol.
Advertising has been found to affect dietary habits, with sustained exposure to food advertising significantly increasing the risk of childhood obesity.
Vulnerable to influence
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Children are uniquely vulnerable to the influence of advertising as they lack the critical reasoning skills to recognise and evaluate persuasive intent.
In the online environment where advertising is embedded in games, influencer content and social feeds, children are especially vulnerable.
Our study found a clear pattern. The less regulation there is, the higher the exposure.
Tobacco marketing, which is tightly regulated, was rarely encountered by the children in our study. Alcohol and gambling – regulated by a patchwork of laws and voluntary codes – appeared moderately often. But junk food marketing, almost entirely self-regulated by industry, dominated what they saw.
More than half of the unhealthy food and alcohol marketing children saw came from just 15 multinational companies. This highlights the systemic nature of the problem, as well as the resources behind it. These companies have the money to spend on marketing these harmful products to children.
Taking action
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International agencies such as the United Nations have warned that exploitative marketing is a major global threat to children’s health.
To respond to this growing harm, governments need to:
protect children through comprehensive regulation restricting junk food, alcohol and gambling marketing, similar to what already exists for tobacco
introduce restrictions on product packaging for unhealthy products, which the study found was a key medium for marketing
conduct further research to understand the digital marketing environment, in particular to identify disparities in targeting based on ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic status.
This is not just about protecting children’s innocence. It’s about protecting their health, autonomy and future opportunities. Left unchecked, the current commercial environment risks deepening health inequities and normalising harmful consumption patterns from an early age.
Aotearoa New Zealand has the chance to lead efforts to create a digital and physical environment where commercial interests do not undermine children’s rights and wellbeing.
That requires moving beyond voluntary codes towards enforceable protections – grounded in evidence, public health priorities and equity.
If we don’t act now, we risk commodifying childhood itself.
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Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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51.9% Human-centred experience and communication
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15% Critical thinking
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30.1% Resilience and adaptability
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3% Other - I will share below!
The Gospel’s Relevance Today**
The Gospel, meaning ‘good news’, is the cornerstone of the message contained in the Bible’s first four books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While these records were written approximately 2,000 years ago, a natural question arises: why is this Gospel still relevant and vital for us today? This analysis seeks to explore what the Bible itself defines as the Gospel and to understand its enduring significance.
**Defining the Gospel: Core Biblical References**
The Gospel is not a vague concept; Scripture provides clear descriptions of its content and focus.
* **The Gospel of the Kingdom:** In Matthew 4:23, as Jesus begins his ministry, he is described as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” This immediately establishes that the good news is centrally about a kingdom—the Kingdom of God. His accompanying miracles served to validate the authority of this message.
* **The Gospel of Jesus Christ:** Mark 1:1 opens with, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Here, “Christ” is a title meaning ‘anointed one’. Thus, the good news is intrinsically about Jesus: his identity as the Anointed One and his unique status as the Son of God.
* **The Gospel of God’s Grace:** In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul speaks of his mission to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Grace signifies an undeserved gift. This reveals that the Gospel involves a gift from God, offered not because it is merited, but out of His benevolence.
* **The Gospel of Salvation and Peace:** Romans 1:16 declares the Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile (Greek). Furthermore, Romans 10:15 calls it the “gospel of peace,” pointing to a future state of peace brought about by this message.
* **The Gospel Summarised:** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a foundational summary. Paul reminds believers of the gospel he preached, “by which also you are saved.” He then states its core historical facts: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Gospel is therefore rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.
In synthesis, the Gospel is the good news of **salvation and future peace in the Kingdom of God**, made possible by **the grace of God** and **the obedient sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ**, and offered to all who believe.
**Old Testament Foundations: The Gospel Preached to Abraham**
A crucial question is whether the Gospel is confined to the New Testament. Scripture shows its foundations were laid much earlier. Galatians 3:8 states explicitly that “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”
This reference points back to Genesis 12:1-3, where God made profound promises to Abraham: to make him a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These promises—later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob—form the bedrock of the Gospel hope. The good news of salvation through Christ is the fulfillment of how **all nations** would be blessed through Abraham’s “seed.”
**The Gospel’s Personal Relevance: Good News for You Today**
How does this ancient message become “good news for you” today? The application is clearly outlined in Galatians 3.
* **Access through Faith in Christ:** Galatians 3:26 declares, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The promise made to Abraham is now extended to anyone with faith in Jesus.
* **The Role of Baptism:** Verse 27 explains, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism is the God-appointed act of faith that identifies a believer with Christ’s death and resurrection.
* **Unity and Inheritance:** Verses 28-29 reveal the glorious outcome: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Through the Gospel, all barriers are removed; believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of the Kingdom.
This Gospel was once a mystery hidden in God’s purpose (Ephesians 3:3-9). Now, it has been revealed: the unsearchable riches of Christ, offering salvation to all who heed the call, believe the message, and are baptised into him.
**Conclusion: An Enduring and Open Invitation**
The Gospel is far more than a historical account; it is the living, powerful good news of God’s plan for salvation. It is rooted in promises to Abraham, accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and open to all people without distinction. It offers a tangible hope—the hope of resurrection, peace, and an inheritance in the coming Kingdom of God. This is why the Gospel remains profoundly relevant. It is an invitation to listen, believe, and stand firm in this hope, linking our lives today to the eternal purpose of God.
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