Charter to promote healthy diets and behaviors in audiovisual programs, digital content and commercial communications (2025-2029)

Preamble

This Charter to promote healthy eating and behavior in audiovisuel programs, digital content and commercial communications follows on from the Charter covering the period 2020-2024. It is applicable from January 1, 2025 for a period of five years, and includes new voluntary players (digital platforms, the fast-food sector, representatives of influencers and content creators, etc.) to amplify the fight agains overweight and obesity.

The French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication (Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuel et numérique) has been committed to this approach since 2009, when it signed its first charter under the aegis of the French Superior Audiovisual Council. This approach was reinforced by the work of the Etats généraux de l'alimentation launched in June 2017 and is in line with the objectives targeted by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AMS).

Arcom noted, in its evaluation covering the period of application of the previous food charter, that the involvement of its signatories had led to a significant increase in the display and quality of Nutri-Scores exposed around programmes for younger viewers and in the volumes of programmes focusing on good health. In addition, qualitative studies have confirmed the incentive potential of programs promoting good health, which are both reassurance messages and tools for putting them into practice.

In the same way, Arcom has pointed out that commercial food communications shown around programs attracting a large number of children must nevertheless continue to be the subject of particular vigilance. While there was a clear increase in the display of Nutri-Scores, the prevalence of Nutri-Scores D and E persisted.

In addition, the findings of the assessment relating to the implementation of the PNNS (2019-2023) summon strengthening criminal proceedings to "effectively protect children and adolescents from the effects of food marketing for products whose excessive consumption in the diet is not recommended, including on digital media".

The Ministry of Health will pay specific attention to reducing children's overall exposure to commercial communications for food or beverages containing nutrients or substances with a nutritional or physiological effect, in particular those such as fats, trans-fatty acids, salt/sodium and sugars, whose presence in excessive quantities in the overall diet is not recommended so-called "too fatty, too sweet, too salty".

The French Ministry of Health will be attentive to the combined efforts of advertisers, audiovisual and digital media, and all the players involved in the Charter, to contribute to public health objectives in the fight against overweight and obesity.

With regard to digital media, particular attention will be paid to their ability to make their data available to Arcom, under the RSN (Regulation on Digital Services) scheme, making it possible to study the exposure of person-under-18s to commercial communications for food products that are "too fatty, too sweet, too salty", and to content promoting nutritional practices that are harmful to health.

The trend towards increased consumption of platforms by youngsters, and the decline in their individual television listening time, has led Arcom to extend the scope of the charter to online platforms and the influence sector.

In addition, as part of the findings relating to the application of the previous charter, the Autorité had summoned the strengthening of the attention paid to reducing children's exposure to commercial communications concerning fast food. The inclusion of representatives from the fast-food industry reflects the sector's desire to demonstrate its ongoing commitment and investment in consumer communications issues.

The co-regulation approach is based on the empowerment and involvement of all stakeholders. While previous charters have achieved substantial results, the areas for improvement identified summon the strengthening of the efforts made in recent years to continue the progress already underway. One of the priorities of the new charter is to strengthen nutritional information and understanding of balanced diets and health-promoting behaviors, delivered to the public via audiovisual and digital content, but also within visual food marketing communications. The qualitative study published in November 2024 by Santé publique France calls for the development of a better understanding of nutritional benchmarks, including the Nutri-Score, for the general public and children in particular, with the aim of enabling these indicators to be properly appropriated.

The charter also aims to encourage exchanges between charter signatories and health professionals/associations in the monitoring of actions implemented by all stakeholders in favor of healthy eating and behavior, for the purposes of sharing experience and improving collective action, within a monitoring committee.

At a time when we urgently need to respond to climate and environmental challenges, it is vital to promote not only healthy but also sustainable eating habits. The present text is therefore based on a concept of food that can be favorable to health and the environment. More broadly, it promotes well-being and health through good behavior (fight agains excessive food consumption, promote physical activity and sports, promote quality sleep, promote the sensible use of screens, etc.).

Aware of their collective responsibility, and within an unchanged legislative and regulatory framework, all signatories are committed to respecting the commitments made in this charter.