LONDON: Masterfoods, maker of Mars and Snickers chocolate bars, has decided to stop marketing sweets to children under 12 years of age, the first time a major foodmaker has voluntarily decided to set a higher age threshold for its products.
The US-based company is one of the world's biggest advertisers and it has a policy already in place of not advertising to children under six years of age. Its latest decision spurs from the debate over advertising and promoting junk food and the increasing rate of child obesity.
The firm said in a communication to the European Commission's director-general for health and consumer protection it has decided to make an official policy change to a cut-off age of 12 years for all its core products.
The U.K.'s TV watchdog Ofcom has said it proposes to ban junk food advertising during TV shows aimed at under-16s.
Masterfoods said it will adopt the new policy by the end of the year.
