HUMANING: OUR APPROACH TO MARKETING

At Mondelēz International, we do not believe in advertising directly to children under 13 years of age, regardless of a product's nutritional profile. In 2005, we were the first company to announce global policies for advertising to children and we continue with our commitment today.

Our Global Approach

Our updated marketing to children policy, updated June 1, 2021, is global and applies to every market where we do business. In general, we:

• Do not advertise in any media primarily directed to children under the age of 13.
• Direct our advertising to gatekeepers (adults, parents, guardians), as well as people over age 13, who we empower with information and product choices to make mindful snacking decisions.
• Prohibit all marketing activities and techniques, including promotions, use of licensed characters, and premiums that appeal to children under age 6 (pre-school children).
• Prohibit all advertising and any type of commercial messaging and in-school marketing in primary and secondary schools (prior to university level).

Elements of Our Global Policy

Below are the main elements of our policy that guide our efforts:

• Prohibit any advertising where 30% or more of the total viewing audience is under the age of 13. Where audience data is not available, we use best judgment to avoid programs, websites, publications, and digital platforms that are geared for or have high appeal to children under age 13.
• Advertising in the following media is covered: TV, print, radio, our own brand websites, as well as third-party websites, digital and mobile media, social media, outdoor, smart phone/tablet apps, advergaming, word of mouth, DVD/video, gaming systems and in-cinema.
• Online/digital games and downloads will aim to have age gating/screening. Our brand websites follow age screening requirements of local legislation such as the U.S. Children’s Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), EUGDPR or other applicable local equivalent, to protect privacy, as well as to ensure that we have taken all reasonable steps to restrict  children under age 13 from entering the site or downloading material. 
• Prohibit all in-school marketing of our products in pre-school, primary and secondary schools (prior to university level) as well as early children education centers and children’s care.
• Do not permit any branded communication in schools, including branded educational materials or equipment – irrespective if schools request/permit it or if industry voluntary pledges we are a member of allow it.
• Do not use licensed characters or enter tie-ins with movies that primarily appeal to children under age 6, regardless of the product’s nutritional profile, in all marketing activities, including use on packaging and in-store communications.
• All communications on packaging and on in-store materials are directed to the gatekeeper/adults.

Our Food Marketing & Photography Standards

In addition to our marketing to children policy, our Food Marketing & Photography Standards provide further guidance. These standards are consistent with and support the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Code of Advertising and Marketing Communication Practice and the ICC Framework for Responsible Food and Beverage Communications. These standards ensure consistent, responsible depiction of food and lifestyle choices by:

• Showing consumption in responsible serving and portion sizes in food photography and video production
• Displaying balanced nutrition information and serving sizes in recipes
• Encouraging depiction of active lifestyles
• Portraying personal lifestyle safety; depict children engaged in safe behaviors, being supervised by adults
• Clearly representing eating occasions
• Representing consumers, showing diversity, in ethnicity, age, and gender, as well as size and shape
• Portraying safe food handling and kitchen practices

Working With Others To Support Responsible Marketing

We believe that, in addition to our own global marketing to children policy, supporting pledges at both global and national level encourages local companies to follow our lead and improve the types of products advertised to children. However, the requirements outlined in our internal marketing to children policy are followed in addition to voluntary industry marketing pledges.

Mondelēz International is a founding member of the International Food & Beverage Alliance, and along with other members, made a global commitment to the World Health Organization to either not advertise products to children under age 13 or only advertise products that meet specific nutrition criteria to children under age 13 and to monitor those efforts.

Monitoring Our Commitment

As part of its process, IFBA monitors and reports publicly on progress regularly to help member companies identify genuine breaches and instances where spots for restricted products were placed in or around daytime programs reaching 30 percent or more children under age 13.

Region and Local Market Pledges

We participate in marketing to children pledge programs all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, UAE, the U.S. and the EU.

Supporting the EU Pledge

One of the industry advertising commitments we have signed up to is the European Union Pledge, a voluntary initiative by leading food and beverage companies to change food and beverage advertising to children under the age of 13 in the European Union. In 2021, the EU Pledge was further enhanced to increase transparency and accountability by launching a mechanism through which members of the public and organizations can question the compliance of marketing communications with the commitment. More information can be found here. If you wish to file a complaint, click here.