Canadian Consumers’ Understanding of Information on Food Packages: An Exploratory Study

Results: One third of advertisements shown were for food, of which 84% was high in fat, saturated fat, and added sugar and sodium or low in vitamins, minerals, fruits, vegetables, and fiber. Animation was the marketing technique most used (44% of food advertisements), and taste was the most commonly used marketing message, occurring in 58% of food advertisements. Conclusions and Implications: Marketers are using animation and familiar characters to build brand recognition andloyaltyamongyoungviewers.Foodsadvertised,although lownutrientdense,wereportrayedas fun, cool, andgreat tasting. Nutrition gatekeepers must remain vigilant in their efforts in promoting healthy, nutritious foods to children. Funding: None.