The Nordic countries are to co-operate in monitoring companies targeting children with so-called junk-food products.

A protocol has been developed between representatives and experts from Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway, together with international experts including the World Health Organization (WHO).

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

They have come together to monitor the tactics used by those food and drink companies who are targeting children and young people with products containing high levels of sugar, salt or fat.

The protocol – a project funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers – describes methods of how to monitor marketing of foods and beverages towards children and young people as well as the monitoring of trends. 

“The data provided could also be used for evaluation purposes, for instance providing relevant data for evaluating regulation practices and schemes in the respective countries; to study advertising and marketing practices, contents and forms over time,” the protocol said.

“In addition to being a tool for monitoring purposes within each country, the protocol will also enable comparisons between the Nordic countries by establishing a joint understanding on how each marketing channel should be monitored.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The WHO’s Jo Jewel welcomed the initiative. She said on Twitter: “This fantastic tool will help advocate policies and close loopholes.”

Sweden recently pulled back from introducing a tax on sugar-laden products.  

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact