The use of cartoon characters to sell unhealthy food is boosting Britain's childhood obesity epidemic, campaigners said yesterday.
Which?, the consumers' organisation, described the use of popular characters such as Scooby-Doo, Bagpuss and Winnie the Pooh on some products as "manipulative marketing ploys" which made it more difficult for parents to refuse their children these foods.
Coinciding with its publication of a list of "the worst offenders", Which? called on the companies which license film and television cartoon characters to behave more responsibility over the foods they endorsed.
Miranda Watson, from Which?, said: "Parents feel they are being manipulated by the use of these cartoon characters on a wealth of unhealthy food products. The message we are getting is that they are finding it incredibly difficult and they need help."
The group criticised 18 products, saying each contained worrying levels of fat, salt or sugar and sometimes all three. Among them were Nestlé Golden Nuggets cereal, endorsed by The Incredibles, which had 40g of sugar per 100g of cereal, and HP pasta shapes with pictures of Bagpuss, which contained 3.75g of salt - more than the Food Standards Agency's recommended daily limit for a child aged between one and six.
Other foods were "endorsed" by Bob the Builder, Shrek, The Simpsons, Postman Pat and Action Man.
Which? selected the products for their ready availability in high-street shops and at supermarkets, and avoided treats such as birthday cakes, looking instead at everyday items.
Ms Watson said: "Our message today is that licensing companies are just as responsible as food manufacturers and they can't afford to turn a blind eye to childhood obesity any more."
Which? also carried out a survey of 2,000 parents and found that 77% felt the use of characters made it difficult to say no to their children. Many thought shopping had become a battleground, with children pressing them to buy unhealthy and expensive products because of illustrations of favourite characters on packaging. One parent said: "It's manipulating them into eating something that wouldn't be your first choice."
In response Which? produced a wallet-sized card to help parents decipher food labelling. "It can be very confusing to remember all the nutritional figures," said Ms Watson. "This card can be put in your pocket and dug out to check if a particular item has too much salt, sugar or fat. We are hoping it will give a little bit of guidance for parents."
Which? is calling on the Food Standards Agency to issue clear guidelines on the nutritional criteria that food products must satisfy before cartoon characters can be used for packaging and advertising. A spokeswoman for the FSA said the agency would consider the initiative after consultation on a nutrient profiling model which could be used to identify healthier choices for children.
She said: "In July last year the Food Standards Agency board agreed an action plan on food promotions and children's diets. This plan includes a specific recommendation that food manufacturers use promotional techniques, such as character licensing, to also promote healthier choices."
Childhood obesity has risen in recent years. Between 1989 and 1998 it rose from 5% to 9% among children aged two to four. Among those aged six to 15, rates trebled from 5% in 1990 to 16% in 2001.
