The submission highlights the urgent need for stronger protection of children and adolescents from exposure to unhealthy food and alcohol marketing across digital and audiovisual media environments. EFAD’s response calls for evidence-based, mandatory regulations rather than reliance on voluntary industry self-regulation approaches, which research has consistently shown to be insufficient.

Among the key recommendations included in the response are:

• Stronger government-led restrictions on unhealthy food and alcohol marketing,
• Clear nutrient profiling criteria to define products unsuitable for advertising to children,
• More robust regulation of influencer marketing and brand advertising,
• Expanded protections beyond “children’s programmes” to all media content popular with minors,
• Comprehensive restrictions on alcohol marketing to people under 18 years old.

The document also draws attention to recent evidence showing the scale of children’s exposure to digital food marketing, including findings that adolescents may encounter unhealthy food marketing content every few minutes while using social media.

EFAD warmly thanks all contributors involved in the preparation of this response, reflecting the strong collaboration and expertise within the ESDN Public Health.