Multinational food and soft drink companies are using their own websites to promote unhealthy foods to children potentially as young as four, a new report by Consumers International said here on Sunday.

In the face of global criticism about traditional junk food advertising to kids, household names such as Kellogg's, KFC, McDonald's, and Nestle are attracting children online with Internet clubs, interactive games, and My Space-style sites, said a report titled New Media, Same Old Tricks, which was released for World Consumer Rights Day on Sunday.

The report was released by Consumers International, the only independent global campaigning voice for consumers. To date, the organization headquartered in London has over 220 member organizations in 115 countries, trying hard to building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere.

According to the report, parents are also targeted with reassuring messages about the educational value of online games, web safety information and promotional coupons.

Companies have paid lip service to their stated commitments to restrict marketing to children by including friendly warnings on some of their child-focused sites. McDonald's, for instance, uses the term 'Hey Kids. This is advertising!' on some of its games pages. Others such as Mars and Kellogg's have small print warnings.

The study looked at the national and international websites of the top 10 food and drink companies by advertising spending to assess the methods used to promote unhealthy food and drink to children under 16. It found that companies are using their own websites to market junk food by using site design that appeals to under-12s; free branded screensavers and wallpapers of popular characters and celebrities; branded games, competitions and profile avatars and capturing of kids details through registration for online clubs.

Consumer groups take action on Sunday to campaign against the marketing of junk food to children. Consumer International has proposed an International code on the marketing of food and nonalcoholic beverages to children to the World Health Organization as part of the WHO public consultation, to commence later this month.

Recommendations for an international code target the marketing of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt to children up to 16 years old. It demands a ban on radio or TV adverts promoting unhealthy food between 06:00 and 21:00; and no marketing of unhealthy food to children using new media such as websites, social networking sites and text messaging.

The proposed code also includes no promotion of unhealthy food in schools; no inclusion of free gifts, toys or collectible items, which appeal to children to promote unhealthy foods; and no use of celebrities, cartoon characters, competitions or free gifts to market unhealthy food.

Justin Macmullan, head of campaigns at Consumers International, said: "In many countries kids already spend more time on the Internet than watching TV. That's why it's vital we have mandatory regulations that restrict junk food companies from using new media to perform the same old marketing tricks on our children."

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2009)