OMA introduces world-first policy to help Aussies make healthy food and drink choices

The Out of Home (OOH) industry has united through the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) to take an active role in limiting the public’s exposure to discretionary food and drinks. The industry will also donate up to $3 million each year to promote healthy diets and lifestyle choices on its signs.

The national OMA Health and Wellbeing Policy will restrict 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.

Working closely with industry, food groups, advertisers, health promotion experts and government, the OMA conducted extensive research on Australian and international best practice to inform this world-first policy.

• The policy will restrict discretionary food and drink product advertising from areas within 150 metres of a primary or secondary school in Australia.

• The OOH industry will offer full creative support to the OOH industry to create efficacious and meaningful campaigns that will reach the targeted audience.

• $3 million of advertising space across Australia every year will be donated to feature targeted advertising campaigns supporting healthy diet and lifestyle choices.

• Annual meetings are to be held with key industry stakeholders and health promotion experts to assess the implementation and efficacy of the restrictions and the educational programs.

• There will be 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,” said OMA CEO Charmaine Moldrich. “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,” she added.

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.

 “Advocating high ethical and professional standards across Australia’s marketing community is at the centre of the AANA’s work and we support the Outdoor industry’s approach to discretionary food and drink advertising,” said John Broome, CEO of the AANA.

With more than a decade’s experience in implementing and monitoring targeted geographical ‘place-based’ policies, the OOH industry has previously met and exceeded community expectations around the advertising of alcohol, gambling and adult products, ensuring these products are not seen within a 150 metre sightline of schools.

The new policy will come into effect on 1 July 2020.