CRITICAL ANCHORS
RESPONSIBLE MARKETING
Tiger Brands is committed to the responsible labelling, marketing and advertising of our products. We strive to understand and respect the needs of our consumers and ensure we earn and retain their trust in all our marketing activities.
Approach
We aim to label, market and advertise our products in an ethical and socially responsible manner, in line with our corporate values see who we are) and sustainability strategy see strategy). We ensure that when our products go to market, they comply with national labelling regulations, meet our own EWLW nutrition labelling requirements see product renovation), and correspond with responsible marketing practices.
Our key policies
- Responsible marketing policy
We adhere to the advertising code regulated by the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) in South Africa, and have signed the South African Marketing to Children Pledge. Our responsible marketing policy guides our responsible labelling and marketing practices, and supports our compliance with the advertising code and Marketing to Children Pledge by encapsulating the ethical principles of these instruments.
Our policy also aligns with our own ethics code and related ethics policies see ethical behaviour, as well as our wider framework of marketing policies that cover general marketing, marketing research, packaging design, and digital and social media marketing. The responsible marketing policy applies to all marketing and advertising channels and reflects our commitment to help consumers make health-positive food choices and improve their health and wellbeing see product renovation. Our responsible marketing policy is available online at www.tigerbrands.com
- Our responsible marketing principles
We are committed to ensuring that our marketing communications:
- Are ethical and truthful
- Are non-discriminatory
- Encourage inclusion and diversity
- Encourage a healthy balanced diet, active lifestyle, and mental wellbeing
- Encourage portion control and discourage excessive consumption of any food or drink
- Do not harm or take advantage of children, nor undermine their parents’ authority
- Do not allow gender stereotyping or negative gender portrayal
- Provide accurate nutritional information
- Back-up any claims with scientific or testimonial evidence
- Responsible Marketing to Children Pledge
We are a signatory to the South African Marketing to Children Pledge that was initiated by the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGSA) and adopted into the ARB’s advertising code in 2018. As a signatory, we have publicly committed to implementing a set of responsible marketing and advertising principles in respect to children of 12-years and under, and with a view to only promoting healthy food and lifestyle choices directly to children in this age group.
The pledge stipulates restrictions on advertising and marketing to children in the following areas:
- The nature of the products and core messaging of television adverts
- The use of well-loved celebrities or fictional characters for product endorsement
- The nature of products used in marketing promotions
- The nature of products marketed or advertised at or near pre-school and primary school premises
Management
Our EWLW nutritional guidelines see product renovation and responsible marketing principles are socialised across the entire marketing organisation. Our senior marketing leadership and core team are strongly aware of our commitments and what standards and ethical principles need to be adhered to. We conduct internal audits of our labelling, marketing and advertising activities to ensure that practices are correctly managed and aligned to agreed principles, plans and budgets.
Our system for managing our labelling, marketing and advertising practices includes standard operating procedures relating to product ingredient formulations, product artwork and labels, television advertising production, marketing material approval, consumer services and media procurement. Nutritional guidelines and responsible marketing principles are considered within these procedures, as well within our product innovation processes see product renovation. All product formulations, artwork and labels, marketing materials and advertisements pass through our nutrition, regulatory, and legal teams before final sign-off. In cases where third-party agencies conduct work on our behalf, all relevant policies and guidelines are shared with the service provider when contracts are signed, including caveats to ensure responsible marketing to children, and our own brand teams sign-off on all creative material.
- Declaration of ingredients, additives and allergens
We declare ingredients, allergens, and additives, as well as indicate irradiation and genetically modified organisms (GMO) for all our products as required by the South African Regulations relating to labelling and advertising (R146), and any other regulation under the Foodstuff, Cosmetics and Disinfectant Act. We will similarly declare the use of nanotechnologies in our products should this become a requirement.
- Communicating recyclability
We have established a standard practice for the on-pack labelling of a product’s recyclability. Our approach is easy-to-understand and clearly informs consumers what is recyclable and what is not. We implement this practice for all new products and existing products under renovation, and have targets in place to improve the recyclability of our packaging see environmental stewardship.
Performance
In 2022, we have remained in full compliance with national regulations requiring the labelling and declaration of certain ingredients, additives and allergens, and we continue to ensure that we practise responsible marketing in regard to children. We maintain full adherence to the on-pack nutrition labelling requirements of our Eat Well Live Well (EWLW) and Be-Nutrient-Wise initiatives. All products in our portfolio have Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) and/or the Be Nutrient Wise/Eat Well Live Well stamp-of-approval on-pack (see product renovation).