Kids Super Snaps

INSTAGRAM photos tagged as #KidsSuperSnaps

... will be automatically featured on this page.

thebumpiestpath
24/07/12

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thebumpiestpath
24/07/12

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thebumpiestpath
24/07/12

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About Kids Super Snaps

What can I do to get involved?

Just how are supermarkets speaking to your kids?

What do parents think?

Tips for combating pester power

Guidelines

About Kids' Super Snaps

Next time you're in the supermarket, bend down until you're at your child's height. Take a look around. What grabs your attention? As adults we assume we know what kids see, but not only are we taller, we see things differently. What we take for granted are things children can find fascinating. #KidsSuperSnaps asks children to take pictures of what they see, in order to give them a voice on their food environment. Via this light-hearted, social media campaign, we’re hoping to encourage more family discussion about how supermarkets speak to kids.

The aim of #KidsSuperSnaps is two-fold. The first is to stimulate discussion. We hope this page acts as a resource where your images appear, resources are available and tips from parents across Australia can help families (and us!)better understand how supermarkets speak to children.

The second is to advocate for change. TPJ wants 50% of supermarket checkouts to be free from the sale of all junk food products. Your images will form part of a wider campaign which we'll keep you informed about. Don't worry, you don't have to identify the supermarket you're in (or your kids for that matter). We just want to know what appeals to your children.

What can I do to get involved?

Want to get involved in #KidsSuperSnaps? During a trip to the supermarket, hand that phone or camera over to your kids and them go. Tweet the picture (you can use Instagram if you're really arty!) or put it on our Face Book page using the hashtag #KidsSuperSnaps. Want to write a post about the experience? We'd love to publish it, just send it through.

Just how are supermarkets speaking to your kids?

Supermarkets play a major role in the family diet. They do a tremendous amount of research to analyse your shopping habits and encourage you to buy more than you intended, as well as encourage your child to influence your food purchases. In 2006, it was estimated that over 70% of Australian kids aged 5 to 12 years influenced the purchase of household grocery items. This is likely to have increased since then.

There is a science to consumer purchasing in supermarkets. For instance, most commonly-used items are placed in the middle of an aisle so people have to go down aisles for specific items. Exposure to all the other foods may lead you to buy more.

Food corporations pay for the best exposure for their food. Key products (the ones with the greatest profit margins, or those that have paid a premium), will be placed at the ends of aisles in endcap displays.

Flinders University has released research which suggests the food industry is marketing to children through packaging that is going to appeal to them, such as the use of cartoon characters and competitions. Moreover, this food is more likely to be processed (or non-core), have a claim about health and nutrition and cross-promote through other marketing mediums like television advertisements.

A Deakin University study of Melbourne supermarkets suggests the average consumer has very little chance of avoiding snack food displays. And, as #KidsSuperSnaps is showing us, processed, snack food displays with fun, colourful packaging is often placed at the eye level of children, especially at the checkout counter.

Disturbingly, there is also a growing amount of evidence that suggests that where you live reflects the quality of food available in your local supermarket. A study in Victoria showed stores in lower socio-economic areas are more laden with junk food and confectionary and have a lower ratio of fresh produce to junk food than wealthier neighbourhoods.

What do parents think?

We'll be updating this section with posts written by parents from across Australia, who will tell us what they think about supermarkets and their marketing techniques after viewing it through the eyes of their children.

Wendy Blume from Vegie Smugglers tells us what happened when Mr M&P realised his dreams of becoming a photographer.

Margaret from Life with a Fussy Eater was surprised at the choices made by her children.

Jules from The Bumpiest Path made the great point that it's not just about supermarkets, when her children continued their trip to the local chemist.

Amy from Natural Aussie Families and her daughter think it's time Australia had a debate about the cost of healthy food vs junk food.

Gemma from My Big Nutshell made 7 interesting observations after her daughter's trip to the supermarket.

Lou from MumSpeak let her 5-year-old loose with a camera and received an insight into her daughter's bucket list!

Tips for combating pester power

Most parents learn to say no when children are pestering for the unhealthy food overwhelmingly displayed at supermarket checkouts.  However, it's hard to say no all the time.  Click here for tips on tackling pester power in the supermarket.

From her experience doing the #KidSuperSnaps challenge, blogger Wendy Blume found the following:

1. Kids look at whatever you’re looking at. So while we walk down the confectionery aisle (the breakfast cereal is on the other side), my kids don’t fixate on the lollies since they know that I’m not going to be buying any.

2. Supermarkets are full of all sorts of stuff and teaching the kids how to negotiate through good and bad food choices is essential if you want to raise healthy adults.

3. Kids have a short attention spans. Strategic shopping is best when you’ve got the kids with you. But you all already know this and I’m sure, like me, whenever possible, you leave the kids elsewhere when you need to do a large shop.

Lou from MumSpeak offers the following practical, yet often forgotten, words of advice:

1. Make sure the kids have been fed, but come armed with healthy snacks.

2. Bring plenty of toys in order to provide distraction.

3. Be prepared to sing silly songs as you steer your kids away from the cereal aisle...

Gemma from My Big Nutshell also noted:

1. If possible, buy from your local greengrocer. It's easier to build a relationship and the kids can touch and see everything under normal lighting.

2. A weekly food plan can be a great way to get kids involved with food choices and they're able to help purchase ingredients in the supermarket.

Got more tips to share? Click here to send them through. Want to get involved in #KidsSuperSnaps? Just hand that phone or camera over and watch your kids snap away! Tweet the picture or put it on our Face Book page using the hashtag #KidsSuperSnaps. 

Guidelines for Kids Super Snaps

• If you don’t want to, there is no need to identify your child/ren.

• You don’t need to identify the supermarket.

• For privacy reasons, it’s preferable not to upload images of other shoppers.

• It’s okay if your child/ren only takes images of fresh fruit and vegetables – it means the message is starting to get through!

• If you would like your child to write a post directly for us, we’d be delighted to publish it.

• We respect that you will be sharing your images with us. The Parents’ Jury will only use them for this campaign and will contact you for permission if ever we want to use them for another purpose.