Celebrating progress on regulating unhealthy food marketing to children in Norway

This seminar highlights national and international progress to regulate the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children, from global recommendations to national regulations. It presents European experiences, current challenges, evaluation insights and youth perspectives, and provides a platform for dialogue between stakeholders in state, civil society and private sector.

Target groups

WHO European Action Network on Reducing Marketing Pressure on Children, JA PreventNCD representatives, NGO's and other stakeholders in Norway and other countries.

Programme

12:15 – 13:00 Mingling and light lunch

13:00 – 14:15 Welcome and presentations

• Welcome and introductions, w/ Norwegian Directorate of Health / Scientific Coordinator JA Prevent NCD
• The Norwegian food marketing regulations, experiences, expectations, and future needs, Usman Ahmad Mushtaq, State Secretary for the Minister of Health
• From global recommendations to comprehensive national Regulations – a 20-years long journey, Knut Inge Klepp, Special advisor, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
• Marketing ban on certain foods to children – the scope and content of the Regulations, Erica Wie Dia, Senior advisor, Norwegian Directorate of Health
• Evaluating the impact of the food marketing ban, Arnfinn Helleve, Head of Research Centre, Norwegian Institute of Public Health

14:15 – 14:30 Coffee break

14:30 – 15:10 Youth and consumer perspectives on Harmful Digital Marketing 

• Bite Back UK (Youth Campaigner), Nika Pajda
• Youth Advisory Group, JA Prevent NCD, Silvia Grothe)
• The Norwegian Consumer Council, Aysha Grønberg 

15:10 – 15:40 From evidence to action

• Experiences from restricting food marketing in UK, Professor Emma Boyland, University of Liverpool
• Ambitions to implement statutory regulation in Denmark, Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affair

15:40 – 15:55 Reflections on achievements, current Progress and next Steps

• JA Prevent NCD (WP Co-lead, Maria Joao Gregório, Directorate-General of Health, Portugal)
• WHO Europe (Kremlin Wickramasinghe, Regional Adviser for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity)

16:00 Closing remarks

Linda Granlund and Knut Inge Klepp (Norwegian Directorate of Health / Scientific Coordinators JA PreventNCD)

Changes to the programme may occur.

Participation

Participation is free, but registration is mandatory. Deadline to regsiter: 12. March 2026. 
Registration form is available here.