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Dabobert Duck and YouTube star Simon Desue have something in common: they like to bathe in crowds. Scrooge on a pile of money, Desue on a pile of Haribo: Moaning with happiness, the young influencer wallows in green and blue bags filled with colorful candy canes in one of his promo videos.
The problem with this: Desue, 29, is one of the longest-reaching YouTubers in Germany with 4.3 million subscribers. His followers are mainly children and young people. And the social media star explicitly advertises McDonald’s fast food and Haribo sweets on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube.
“With the help of influencers, companies send their advertising messages to parents and directly to children’s rooms and on young people’s mobile phones,” says Luise Molling of Foodwatch. Companies like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola or Mondelez, but also German family companies like Haribo or Coppenrath & Wiese, did “business with general marketing methods at the expense of children’s health.”
Foodwatch: Influential Advertising Promotes Obesity
In the new “Junkfluencer” report, the consumer organization evaluated thousands of posts and videos from the top 20 influencers with the most reach over several weeks. The food industry uses TikTok stars and Instagram stars to market “sugary drinks, fatty snacks and sweets” to millions of children. And that promotes malnutrition and obesity among minors.
The duo of the two young Austrians Viktoria and Sarina is particularly popular with young girls. In a world of pink glitter, they feature random candy from Ferrero, Coppenrath & Wiese with female voices, or their own pink cookie dough for scoop. And thus reach more than a million fans through Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. “You get the impression that the two of them only eat candy when you click on their social media channels,” says Molling. In some cases they even did it on their own initiative: “For example, in their voluntary advertising of new Ferrero chocolate products, where they practically ask the group for sponsorship”, says the expert.
For influential young people, industry deals can bring in big bucks: Simon Desue shows off his million-dollar villa, luxury cars, and model girlfriend online. But sponsorship is also worthwhile for companies. “Influencer marketing is a multi-billion dollar business,” says Molling.
56 percent of young people have already bought influencer products
The network’s teen stars enjoy a high level of credibility with children and young people. A study carried out by the market research agency M-Science shows: the younger the target group, the more uncritically children receive advertising messages. According to this, 11-15 year olds indulge in their online stars “unconditionally”, they enjoy their “total confidence”. Therefore, recommendations to your precisely defined target groups have a big impact: 56 percent of young people declare that they have already bought products from influencers.
“Advertising increases the energy supply and makes children sick,” says Berthold Koletzko, president of the Children’s Health Foundation of the Children’s Clinic of the University of Munich. In fact, studies show that food advertising leads to higher energy intake, especially among children ages 7 to 12, and is consequently associated with greater overweight.
15 percent of children in Germany are overweight
Malnutrition among children is widespread in Germany: according to data from the Robert Koch Institute, children aged 6 to 11 now only eat half the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables, but at the same time consume two to three times more sugar or snacks like the World Health Organization recommends WHO. The result: about 15 percent of children and teens are currently considered overweight, and six percent are even obese. Later they are threatened by nutrition-dependent diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke or heart attack, which can lead to premature mortality.
Companies don’t want to let the accusations get the better of them. “Haribo always markets its products responsibly,” writes the candy maker when asked by SPIEGEL. The company has committed to never direct advertising and marketing messages directly to children under 12 years of age. Also, items with Simon Desue are clearly marked as advertisement or advertisement. Even Haribo acknowledges that younger children also see advertising on the Internet, but sees the duty of parents to avoid it.
Desues Haribo Challenge: 1000 gummy bears in 100 seconds
»Haribo produces confectionery products. Consumers know that these pleasure products should only be enjoyed in moderation and clearly distinguishable from staples, ”the company continues. What does not prevent them from promoting mass consumption with Simon Desue: in his Haribo Challenge, he eats 1,000 gummy bears in 100 seconds.
Desue also has a contract with McDonald’s and reached more than half a million potential customers online with the #IssmirWurstChallenge. But McDonald’s also explains on request that children under 12 are not approached online and with the help of influencers. In order to »support a balanced diet«, McDonald’s is developing its products and providing guests »in a transparent way» with all the information they need, such as nutritional values, ingredients and the origin of ingredients. “
The Mondelez confectionery group, for its part, highlights the justification of the confectionery: “Basically, we are of the opinion that, within the framework of a balanced and active lifestyle, the confectionery as a luxury product, consumed in moderation, it must have a place in our food culture. We support our consumers with the greatest possible transparency and information. “Mondelez hired 21-year-old influencer Julia Beautx as the face of a Milka Oreo campaign. Along with Youtuber Jonas Ems, he reached nearly 230,000 viewers amid dozens of cookie and chocolate products.
Klöckner relies on voluntary self-control instead of bans
Meanwhile, Federal Food Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) has acknowledged the growing problem, but continues to rely on the industry’s voluntary “EU commitment” of self-commitment, which has been in place since 2007. However, in a current statement, calls on the Central Association of the German Advertising Industry to “make improvements to the age limit and advertise foods with an unfavorable nutritional composition.”
What his own ministry’s Scientific Advisory Council called for in an opinion in June 2020 would be far more effective: a ban on advertising targeting children for high-sugar products. Because: In countries with such restrictions – such as Sweden, Great Britain or Peru – according to the report data, the consumption of junk food fell by 8.9 percent between 2002 and 2016, in countries with voluntary commitments from the industry, by the other hand, it is up 1.7 percent. Foodwatch is also calling for mandatory advertising restrictions for the industry.
The industry has the minister on its side. When asked about the advertising ban, Mondelez refers to the “care of the EU” and its “responsible” advertising practice since 2005, according to which it does not target children under 12 years of age. Haribo is even more explicit with SPIEGEL: “We advocate a policy of education, information and business self-commitment instead of one of the prohibitions or punitive taxes.”
