Advertising of Ultra-Processed Foods on Instagram, Analysis of Posts by the 50 Most Popular Influencers in Peru. Results from a cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.30.2.2567Keywords:
Ultra-processed, Social Media, Marketing, PeruAbstract
Introduction: Ultra-processed food consumption has increased in Latin America, and its promotion on social media represents a growing public health concern. In Peru, Law No. 30021 mandates the use of front-of-package warning labels for products exceeding established nutritional thresholds, including in digital media. However, compliance with these provisions in influencer-generated content has not been evaluated. This study aimed to describe Instagram posts related to ultra-processed products published by the 50 most popular influencers in Peru and to assess compliance with current regulations.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. The 50 macroinfluencers with the highest number of followers in Peru were selected using the Influencity database. All Instagram posts published over 12 months were analyzed. Content analysis variables included post format (single image, carousel, short video, long video), presence of food or beverages, classification according to NOVA (culinary preparations and ultra-processed products), visibility of warning labels on product packaging, and placement of the warning label in the upper-right corner of the post in accordance with the INDECOPI guidelines.
Results: Of 5,547 posts analyzed, 1,232 included food or beverages; 19.2% of these featured ultra-processed products. Among posts displaying ultra-processed products, 22.4% showed visible warning labels on the packaging, and of those, 15.1% placed the label according to the recommended guideline. Overall, only 3.4% of posts featuring ultra-processed products fully complied with the regulation.
Conclusion: Ultra-processed products are present in influencer-generated content on Instagram, with limited adherence to digital warning label requirements. These findings highlight the need to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and regulatory adaptation in the context of digital food marketing.
Funding: Bloomberg Philanthropies (46129 and 2019-71181).
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Copyright (c) 2020 Kiomi Yabiku-Soto, Elizabeth Li-Gen, Mayra Meza-Hernández, Francisco Diez-Canseco
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