Food manufacturers and marketers are in the firing line as consumer campaigners and governments point the finger at the industry for rising childhood obesity levels and overly tempting marketing campaigns.

The children's food and drink market has obvious potential yet, despite the long-term profit opportunities, food manufacturers are overlooking this market - which is valued at around €14-15bn in Western Europe and around US$10bn in the United States.

Capturing the attention of children often leads to continued brand interest in later life: the best-case scenario for any manufacturer. Yet, with ridiculously high new product development failure rates (around eight to nine out of ten products fail within the first six months of launch), the pressure is on for companies to perform.

This exclusive report from just-food assists in streamlining product development and increasing knowledge of the major issues and controversy facing this ever-changing market today.

Chapter 1

Introduction

Chapter 2

New product development
Food scares rock the NPD process
The most expensive product recall in British retailing history: Sudan 1
The essential ingredient in current NPD: omega
Getting it right and avoiding consumer confusion
Re-inventing a mainstream product with kid appeal
The genuine article
More unusual appliances of omega-3 in food production around the world
The Australian perspective
Best-practice case study: character licensing with a positive message
Omega-3 technology
Scientific research and legislative approval
Treating educational/behavioural problems
Are you ready for an oil change?
Packaging developments: portioning
Flavour innovation

Chapter 3

Tackling the controversy: health and nutrition
Hitting the headlines - all talk and no action?
So who or what is really to blame?
Opportunities for the media and the food industry to work together
Are diet products for children a realistic proposition in today's marketplace?
Missing a trick
Birds Eye: best-practice case study
The product development process at Birds Eye
Case study: targeting busy mums with a genuinely healthy meal solution
Childhood nutrition now recognised as a priority around the world
China makes the bold step to tackle poor nutrition head-on

Chapter 4

The ultimate kids' sector: confectionery trends and forecasts to 2010
Overall children's food market value to 2010
Confectionery: the childhood accessory
Diet
The impact of cereal bars on confectionery market sales
Global confectionery market to 2010
The UK market
Cadbury Schweppes profile

Chapter 5

Consumption occasion: school dinners, the lunchbox market and vending machines
Targeting the back-to-school season
Lessons from the leading lunchbox juice drink in the UK
Profit opportunities in the 'no added sugar' market
Vending machines
Brand extension versus the creation of a whole new concept
The future of vending to children

Chapter 6

Advertising and marketing to children
Targeting mums AND children
Accessing the 'kidspace'
Advertising and marketing fears should not detract from the long-term profit opportunities
Brand
Is a total ban on junk food advertising on the horizon?
The Children's Food Bill
Television advertising: the Scandinavian model
The industry reaction

Chapter 7

The next big thing in children's food and drink
Product reformulation and range reviews
Identifying the next 'big thing'
Conclusion: the four key areas to consider when positioning food and drink brands for children

Chapter 8

Appendix

List of tables

Table 1: Product reformulation, McCain Foodservice
Table 2: Do you think overweight children should be encouraged by parents to follow a diet (e.g. limit fat/calories/carbs generally or follow a stricter eating plan) to help them lose weight?
Table 3: Percentage of children under 15 years in 15 major markets, 2005
Table 4: Children's food and drinks' major market values, 2001 to 2010 (US$bn)
Table 5: Western Europe children's confectionery (chocolate and sugar confectionery) market value, 2001 to 2010 (US$bn)
Table 6: Top ten multi-channel food and beverage growth categories in US, year ending 22/02/2004 versus year ending 30/12/2001
Table 7: Global confectionery market value and volume, 2001 to 2010
Table 8: Overall confectionery market values in major Asian versus Western markets, 2001 to 2010 (US$bn)
Table 9: Major Western Europe markets for chocolate, value sales, 2004 to 2010 (US$m)
Table 10: UK biscuit and confectionery market, volume sales, 2003 to 2010 (000 tonnes)
Table 11: UK biscuit and confectionery market, value sales, 2003 to 2010 (US$m)
Table 12: Cadbury Schweppes H1 2005 versus H1 2004 results overview
Table 13: Cadbury Schweppes' position in top five confectionery companies by global market share
Table 14: Leading UK soft drinks companies, 2004, by take-home volume (million litres)
Table 15: Leading US carbonated soft drinks brands, % market share 2004
Table 16: What were your favourite foods/brands as a child?
Table 17: Do you think advertising junk food to children should be banned?
Table 18: Which of the following categories do you think will be the next 'big thing' in the children's food industry?
Table 19: Locations of respondents