The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) is taking an active role in limiting the public’s exposure to discretionary food and drinks. The industry will also donate up to $3m worth of advertising space each year to promote healthy diets and lifestyle choices on its signs.
The new national OMA Health and Wellbeing policy restricts the advertising of discretionary food and drink products on out of home signs within a 150 metre sightline of a school. The policy aims to meet community expectations and support government efforts to tackle overweight and obesity in Australia.
The OMA has consulted with industry, food groups, advertisers, health promotion experts and government and conducted extensive research on Australian and international best practice to inform this world-first policy.
The Policy features include:
• Discretionary food and drink product advertising to be restricted from areas within 150 metres of a primary of secondary school in Australia. Food and drink advertising to be based on Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Health Star Rating system.
• $3 million of advertising space across Australia every year donated to feature targeted advertising campaigns supporting healthy diet and lifestyle choices.
• Compliance monitoring of the national restrictions with annual reports provided to state and federal governments.
“The Health and Wellbeing policy reflects the fact that the out of home industry has listened to the community and government and pro-actively introduced a new voluntary self-regulating code to address what has become a critical issue in Australian society. Almost one in four children is overweight or obese and this complex problem requires a comprehensive set of policies and programs to help Australians lead healthier lives,” OMA CEO Charmaine Moldrich said.
“We are concurrently placing a strong emphasis on education with $3 million of advertising available for health promotion campaigns every year.
“The out of home industry is proud to take a leadership position with the world’s first industry-backed, national restriction policy for discretionary food on outdoor advertising. As experts in advertising, we want to use the power of out of home to make a real difference.”
The OMA has consulted with the Australian Food & Grocery Council (AFGC), the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), the Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia and the Heart Foundation on the new policy.
The OMA National Health and Wellbeing Policy will come to effect on 1 July 2020.
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Top photo:
OMA board members [L-R]: Chair Charles Parry-Okeden, QMS Media’s John O’Neill, Outdoor System’s Andrew Tyquin, TorchMedia’s Kirsty Dollisson, JCDecaux’s Steve O’Connor, OMA CEO Charmaine Moldrich and oOh!media’s Brendon Cook