Food marketing communication targeting children: A content analysis of research literature (2000–2023)

This study provides a big picture of research in the field of food marketing communication targeting children. It aims to identify conceptual and methodological gaps, and set future research agenda for investigating less-explored aspects of food marketing communication effects on children’s food choices. A content analysis of the most influential scientific literature related to food marketing communication targeting children was conducted. Each eligible paper was analyzed based on lines of research and methodology. Analysis of 495 eligible papers revealed that “advertising” was the dominant line of research, followed by “sales promotion”. The most common research method was content analysis, and the most common analysis technique was comparison tests. Among data gathering methods, two categories of “structured questionnaires and surveys” and “nonreactive measures” had the most frequencies. One of the main findings of this study is the scarcity of research within the domains of “personal selling”, “direct marketing” and “public relations”, all of which have significant potential in influencing children’s food behaviors, both unhealthy and healthy. Additionally, there is the lack of studies using methods to consider children’s voices that will be discussed based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.