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> ** Original Subject: fw: CERC for Ban on Corporate Gifts in Schools
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> ** Original Sender: Chaterji <<A HREF=mailto:electricshadows@vsnl.com>>electricshadows@vsnl.com></A>
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> ** Original Date: 03 Jan 2002 22:05:29 +0500
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> ** Original Message follows...
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>To: <A HREF=mailto:reader-list@sarai.net
>reader-list@sarai.net
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From: Chaterji <<A HREF=mailto:electricshadows@vsnl.com>>electricshadows@vsnl.com></A>
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Subject: fw: CERC for Ban on Corporate Gifts in Schools
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Date: 03 Jan 2002 22:05:29 +0500
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\par > ** Original Subject: CERC for Ban on Corporate Gifts in Schools
<BR>
\par > ** Original Sender: "cerc" <<A HREF=mailto:cerc@icenet.net>>cerc@icenet.net></A>
<BR>
\par > ** Original Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002 16:35:10 +0530 (IST)
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par > ** Original Message follows...
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par >PRESS RELEASE
<BR>
\par -------------
<BR>
\par Ref: E&R/PS/Class.01/AH/2002
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par CERC for Ban on Corporate Gifts in Schools
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad, <BR>
has
<BR>
\par urged both the Union Government and the Government of Gujarat to
<BR>
\par ban the advertising campaigns, sales, distribution and promotion
<BR>
\par of fast-moving consumer goods, dietary supplements, free gifts,
<BR>
\par etc. in schools, resorted to by manufacturing companies and other
<BR>
\par organisations of commercial interest.
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par In a letter to Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, the Union Minister for
<BR>
\par Human Resource Development, and Mrs Anandiben Patel, the <BR>
Gujarat
<BR>
\par Minister for Education, CERC has pointed out that schools should
<BR>
\par in fact inculcate in children the ability to resist sales
<BR>
\par pressures by educating them about the nature of commercial
<BR>
\par messages, analysing advertisements, `demagnifying products and
<BR>
\par clarifying alternatives in the marketplace. Such education should
<BR>
\par begin at the elementary grade itself, the letter has added.
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par CERC has also called for a ban on quizzes and competitions
<BR>
\par sponsored by industry where children are forced to buy a
<BR>
\par company's product to participate in a competition or where
<BR>
\par promotional campaigns are carried out in the form of free gifts.
<BR>
\par Even schools themselves should not conduct such quizzes,
<BR>
\par competitions, etc. that may encourage children to watch
<BR>
\par advertisements. Display of names of products and manufacturers
<BR>
\par in any form in school should also be banned.
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par Citing certain recent instances of violation of advertising and
<BR>
\par promotion norms, CERC said that kindergarten children were
<BR>
\par reportedly offered an energy drink along with milk and in another
<BR>
\par case, noodles. Samples of toothpastes were also known to have
<BR>
\par been distributed to children in school. "The latest and most
<BR>
\par unpardonable entrant" to join this rush for luring children into
<BR>
\par the fold is a drug company, which offered kids of primary
<BR>
\par classes a 15-tablet calcium supplement along with an eraser, a
<BR>
\par ruler and a pencil. Worse, the company's representative was
<BR>
\par allowed to deliver a sales talk to the kids on calcium deficiency
<BR>
\par and their need for daily calcium intake. (CERC has also written
<BR>
\par to the Drug Controller General of India to take action against
<BR>
\par the pharmaceutical company concerned.)
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par In another campaign, children were required to buy a box of
<BR>
\par crayons, obtain a coupon, and attach it to their drawing or model
<BR>
\par to be eligible for a competition. CERC also cited a widely
<BR>
\par reported recent incident in an Ahmedabad school where children
<BR>
\par had fallen sick after consuming chocolates of a reputed brand and
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par company. The chocolates had been distributed free as part of a
<BR>
\par promotional campaign in the school. "If the District Education
<BR>
\par Office has issued a show-cause notice to the school concerned to
<BR>
\par explain why a private company was allowed to hold a quiz
<BR>
\par competition in the school premises, it is equally important to
<BR>
\par stop manufacturers from entering school premises at all -- with
<BR>
\par or without competitions," the CERC letter argued.
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par It added that by allowing commercial interests free entry into
<BR>
\par classrooms, schools have become silent partners in advertising to
<BR>
\par children, contributing to commercial pressures on children and
<BR>
\par implying endorsement of the products promoted. In fact, schools
<BR>
\par should have taught children how to deal with commercial pressures
<BR>
\par and not to succumb to them.
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par The vulnerability and natural credulity of children could not be
<BR>
\par exploited for narrow commercial gains, CERC said, adding, "This
<BR>
\par is against all norms of national and international advertising
<BR>
\par codes of conduct".
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par The Advertising Standards Council of India Rules state that
<BR>
\par "Advertisements addressed to minors shall not contain anything,
<BR>
\par whether in illustration or otherwise, which might result in their
<BR>
\par physical, mental or moral harm or which exploits their
<BR>
\par vulnerability." The International Code as well as the British
<BR>
\par Code of Advertising too specifies similar, if not more stringent,
<BR>
\par safeguards against children's exposure to advertisements, the
<BR>
\par CERC letter added.
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par Date : 2-1-2002 Ms. Lalita Meduri
<BR>
\par Place: Ahmedabad Consumer Relations Officer
<BR>
\par -----------------------------------------------------------------
<BR>
\par Opinions, test results and research findings issued through this
<BR>
\par Press Release cannot be used in any form directly or indirectly
<BR>
\par for advertising, promotional or commercial purpose.
<BR>
\par
<BR>
\par CONSUMER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE
<BR>
\par "Suraksha Sankool", Thaltej, Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar Highway,
<BR>
\par Ahmedabad- 380 054 (INDIA) Phone: 079-7489945-46, Fax: 079-
<BR>
\par 7489947, E-mail: <A HREF=mailto:cerc@wilnetonline.net
>cerc@wilnetonline.net
</A><BR>
\par -----------------------------------------------------------------
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\par
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\par
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\par >** --------- End Original Message ----------- **
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\par >
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File Attached: C:\Program Files\NeoPlanet\data\_TEMPE\at the elementary <BR>
grade itself, the letter has added.
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>** --------- End Original Message ----------- **
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