Ministry on snack attack

A popular "rugby superstars" collectors card promotion encourages the consumption of unhealthy snack food and breaches advertising codes, the Ministry of Health says.

It's in the process of lodging a complaint against potato chip maker Bluebird with the Advertising Standards Authority.

Margie Apa, the deputy director-general of the ministry's sector capability and innovation directorate, said the Bluebird chips promotion, urging consumers to collect all 50 trading cards featuring New Zealand Super 14 players, breached both the code for advertising to children and the code for advertising food.

Up to two cards can be found in specially marked packets of Bluebird snacks.

"With the current concern over childhood obesity and children not eating enough nutritious food, campaigns that encourage the excessive consumption of less nutritious foods are of great concern to the ministry."

The promotion reflected poorly on rugby too, Apa said.

"It is also disappointing to see physical activity, particularly performed by well-known rugby players, associated with a product that is high in salt and fat."

One mother, Lucy Hone, told the Sunday Star-Times her children had been badgering her to buy extra bags of chips so they could collect more cards.

"When Sanitarium did a similar thing last August I was only too happy to stockpile Weetbix and loved seeing my kids pile through extra portions of the healthy cereal."

But the Bluebird promotion was ill-advised, she said.

"All the kids whose lunch boxes are frequently filled with sweet, starchy and salty foods are now happily trading in the playground, while those whose parents are attempting to teach them about healthy food choices are missing out. The injustice of it all."

Earlier this month, Auckland District Health Board dietitian Kate Sladden also criticised the campaign but Bluebird defended itself then, saying that giving the cards away in packets of potato chips merely added to the fun and enjoyment of an occasional snack.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old boy in Wellington has admitted holding a knife to a nine-year-old boy and demanding a Super 14 card.

The incident happened at Miramar Primary School about 5pm on Monday. The teenager later handed himself in to police and will be referred to the police's Youth Aid division.

- © Fairfax NZ News