Background of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) and Junk Food Generation (JFG) campaign

World Consumer Rights Day is an annual occasion for celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement. More importantly it is a time for promoting the basic rights of all consumers, for demanding that those rights are respected and protected, and for protesting the market abuses and social injustices which undermine them.

World Consumer Rights Day was first observed on 15 March 1983, and has since become an important occasion for mobilising citizen action. Consumer organisations around the world use materials produced by Consumers International to generate local initiatives and media coverage for their work over the coming year.

World Consumer Rights Day 2009 will mark a second international day of action in support of the CI Junk Food Generation campaign to stop the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

Campaign activity – Kids Supermarket Sweep and press conference

Date: 14th March 2009

Time: 9.30am – 1pm

Venue: GIANT hypermarket Kota Damansara

Participants: 6 – 8 children age between 6 and 15 years old of different races (along with accompanying parents/guardian)

For WCRD 09, we aim:

1.    To hold an event relating to childhood obesity and food marketing which renews public debate in Malaysia, to support FOMCA’s advocacy for regulations to protect children against marketing of unhealthy foods.
2.    To highlight food marketing as a key consumer issue both in Malaysia and overseas, and a campaign priority for FOMCA and Consumers International.
3.    To hold an event on childhood obesity that leads media attention on the issue of food marketing to children.
4.    To determine which foods and drinks children would choose to buy in the supermarket aisle if the decision was left to them alone rather than to a parent or guardian.
5.    To illustrate how food marketing, labelling and presentation influence children’s food preferences.
6.    To provide an opportunity for media to speak to the children themselves about what influences their food choices.

Event description:  

The event aims to look into the influences of food marketing towards the food choice of children, particularly heavily promoted energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods which are high in fat, sugar, and salt. 6-8 children between the ages 6-15 of different races will be the participants of the ‘Kids Supermarket Sweep’ event. Each child will be given a shopping trolley/basket along with RM 50 to buy 5 food/drink items they like on their own. During their shopping, the press (newspapers and broadcast stations) can follow them for coverage. Aside from the media, a professional photographer and cameraman will be hired as well to document the event. After the children pay the cashier, the press and the expert panel will interview them on what food items they have bought and why they choose it. A press conference will be held thereafter with the expert panel on the event and the campaign.