Why Sweden Bans Advertising Targeted At Children

In 1991, Sweden passed legislation banning advertising targeted at children under 12, including all commercials promoting food or toys that are aired before, during or after children’s television programming. The reasoning behind that ban is that kids cannot tell the difference between ads and actual TV programs, a stance that is supported by numerous pieces of research, including a 2009 study from Yale University.

Kids have a tough time differentiating between ads and programming

The move to ban advertising aimed at children came in the wake of deregulation in Sweden, which saw the country go from having just two state-funded TV channels (SVT 1 and SVT 2) to a growing number of commercial channels that showed ads and had a much more aggressive stance on gaining viewership, and increasing profits. Sweden, having never had any commercial broadcasting, moved quickly to protect children – and parents – from commercials that would increase consumerism and also promote unhealthy food products and bad habits among kids.

The aforementioned Yale study found that children between the ages of seven and 11 who watch cartoons were unable to differentiate between the actual program and the food commercials shown in between segments – and that they ate more snacks and sugary food when watching with ads, and demanded more things they saw in ads between episodes of their favourite cartoons, compared to when they saw the cartoons with no ads.

Concerns about the ethical issues surrounding the advertising of unhealthy foods in particular have increased, with many studies finding a direct link between obesity in children and their exposure to marketing of highly unhealthy food, particularly when favourite cartoon characters or film heroes are used to promote the ‘food’.

Studies also show an increase in parent–child conflicts and increased materialistic values among children who are exposed to advertising targeted at them while they watch TV.
So while much of the rest of the world revels in advertising and actually spends time discussing their favourite ads, kids in Sweden are somewhat protected from this, giving them a better shot at not fighting with their parents over that must-have toy, and avoiding food that is really just a collection of chemicals.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.