COVID-WASHING IN SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING BY THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IN
SOUTH AFRICA
Mikateko Mafuyeka *, Petronell Kruger *, Safura Abdool Karim and Susan Goldstein
1 SAMRC/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science—PRICELESS SA, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
2 University of North Carolina at Chapel hill
BACKGROUND
South Africa has a growing prevalence of overweight and obesity. Diet-related non-
communicable diseases account for a high rate of deaths in South Africa. In South Africa, we
have a high rate of unhealthy food and beverage advertising (Igumbor et al, 2012; Mchiza et
al, 2013). In a 2019 systematic review of 71 independent academic studies on the impact of
marketing to children found that the average child exposed to unhealthy food marketing
consumes more food in general and is more likely to choose to eat an unhealthy food
option(Smith R et al, 2019). A 2017 study found that children who were presented with
unhealthy food advertising versus children who were presented with non-food advertising
consumed 48 more calories a day during lunch (Gilbert-Diamond D et al, 2017).Though
these studies were focused on children, we can clearly see how advertising directly
influences food choices and consumption. A 2021 study revealed that 35.7% of advertising
on a range of South African television channels were food and beverage advertising, with
58.8% of those advertisements being for unhealthy food (Yamoah et al, 2021). This high rate
of unhealthy food and beverage advertising persists despite certain restrictions found in the
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) of South Africa’s (now the Advertising Regulatory
Board) voluntary Food and Beverage Code.
The food landscape in South Africa also experienced a shock when the Covid-19
restrictions impacted the operation of food and beverage vendors. Fast food outlets and
restaurants were closed during the so-termed “hard lockdown“(Level 5), informal food
vendors were closed and stock in formal food vendors was regulated. With the
implementation of these restrictions, we saw marketing strategies change from food and
beverage brands. This change meant that brands adapted their marketing to this new reality
by using marketing techniques to exploit the pandemic for profit. What we saw with Covid-19
was the emergence of Covid-washing. According to Hoekstra & Leeflang (2020) and Lawton
et al (2020) Covid-washing is where companies use messaging around Covid-19’s impact
on society to create and foster good will. During hard lockdown brands praised health care
workers and made donations to assist health care workers or vulnerable people. Brands
also used messaging that aligned with national dialogues on health and Covid-19
prevention. This conduct is a marketing technique.
OBJECTIVES
This research will contribute to the growing international literature on the phenomenon
of Covid-washing, as well as contribute to the production of local evidence relating to
how food and beverage companies’ market unhealthy products, specifically with a view
of future regulation of child-directed marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages.
METHODOLOGY
To investigate whether instances of Covid-washing had occurred in South Africa, we
created a real time data set from 7 April to 31 August 2020 representing advertisements
from level 5 (hard lockdown) to level 2 (a less regulated stage of lockdown) from food
and beverage companies. Advertisements from 4 major social media platforms,
namely, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube were collected. 589 entries were
collected and analysed.
The researchers used a combination of inductive and deductive coding. The
deductive approach drew from a similar study conducted in Uruguay (Antunes, Alcaire,
Brunet, Bode & Ares, 2021) and the World Health Organization’s Framework for
Implementing the Set of Recommendations on the Marketing of Foods and Non-
alcoholic Beverages to Children (2012). 20% of the entries were subject to double
coding with disagreements being resolved with assistance from a third researcher.
Posts were classified in many different categories such as whether they were
promoting consumption of a specific product, were they brand promotions and whether
there was cross promotion with other brands just to name a few. A content analysis
approach was used with researchers combining inductive and deductive coding.
RESULTS
Most of the advertisements were found to be brand promotions. Co-branding with
government and non-profit organisations was also present. Marketing techniques such
as competitions (8% of the entries) were often employed. The criteria to participate
often required proof of purchasing the products (2% of competitions) or further
interaction with the brand handle through mandating likes, reposts or clicking for more
information, while the prizes were either products or cash (2%).Rewards for certain
purchases such as providing a free helping of a product or providing vouchers were
used (3%).
Health claims such as reference to nutrition, and health were commonly used.
Brands posted how their products help with working from home or staying at home.
Brands used online events as proposed alternatives to leaving the house. A “lockdown
house party” with several celebrity musicians were promoted by an alcohol brand. See
figure 1 below of some of the other advertising practices brands engaged in.
Figure 1: Examples of advertisements
In terms of Covid-washing techniques (see Table 1 below), we noted that there was
frequent reference to NPIs (Non-pharmaceutical intervention), solidarity, and alternative
activities. Brands further utilised social responsibility as a marketing technique as
brands showcased through their posts how they were contributing towards the fight
against Covid-19. Covid-washing was also often observed in posts where the spirit of
the Food and Beverage Code was breached. The references to Covid-19 increased the
power of harmful messaging, possibly redirected the audience classification of products
and reimagined previous child-directed marketing techniques that might not fall within
its current definition. Table 1 below shows Covid-19 themes identified in the research.
Table 1: Covid-19 themes
Covid-19 Theme
Referencing NPIs
Example 
Post – “Because we care about your safety. We have put health and safety measures
  in place to protect you and your family. We continue with our contactless approach
to limit physical interaction during Delivery, Drive-Thru & Take Away”; Image
attached to the post depicting McDonalds health and safety procedures
Corporate Social Responsibility Post/Image – “Re tla go tlatsa, Buy a Nando’s gift card and we will contribute 10x
Experiences of hardship
the value of your gift card to the Solidarity Fund”
Post with a video attached – “It takes a #SoulfulNation to make it through these
tough times. That’s why for our new ad, we are honouring the ordinary people who
have kept us entertained and our spirits up during #LockdownSA”
Alternative activities Video titled “Lockdown Isolation Baking Ideas for stress relief – How to Cook That
Ann Reardon”
National pride/ nationalism Post – “We can’t mask our pride from “humming: through as we celebrate our
Proudly South African Sugar. Join us for the sweetest hum of all – The Huletts
National Humthem”  
Tie in with home-delivery Post – “Stay home and Eat Out. Enjoy delicious deliveries from McDonald’s/
Download the app now to get R50 OFF your first order.”
Work-from-home Post – “How to balance life and study”.
Animation of a woman doing Yoga with a Redbull in hand.
Praise for essential workers Post/Image 1 – “Dear everyday up at first light farmers. South Africa is forever
especially health care workers grateful to you for not having a break right now”
“Life after lockdown” Post – “after lockdown’s after lockdown”
Post showing the South African landscape asking consumers where they would
hypothetically travel to.
DISCUSSION
Covid-washing in South Africa is clearly a notable form of cause-marketing. Cause-
marketing is associated with improved public perception of brands over a longer term
(Chernev & Blair, 2015). Brands also situate themselves as responsible thus building
their social capital, that contributes to the image of brands being capable of self-
regulation and deflects from the possible harms of marketing of unhealthy foods and
beverages (Antunez et al, 2021).
The current Food and Beverage Code is deficient and different regulations are
required to effectively respond to changing market practices. Brand promotions should
be regulated. The current regulatory framework relating to food and beverage
marketing in South Africa, which doesn’t capture “washing” techniques is also
insufficient to address the possible harms of food and beverage marketing.
CONCLUSIONS
Brands utilised social responsibility as a marking technique as brands showcased
through their posts how they were contributing towards the fight against Covid-19 or
helping ease the impact of Covid-19. These activities were in the form of donating
money, products, or hosting fundraising events. Food and beverage industry actors
redirected their marketing during Covid-19 to maximise community goodwill, as well as
mitigate the loss of business due to Covid-19 restrictions. The results show that there
was extensive Covid-washing by brands during the selected period for this research.
ADVOCACY MESSAGE
We need regulations that will actively combat the advertising of unhealthy foods and
beverages as we have seen that self-regulation doesn’t work. How marketing is viewed
needs to be expanded to include social responsibility. This will allow for combatting any
sort of “washing” disguised as corporate social responsibility efforts. Brand promotions
need to be included as part of marketing as we have seen how industry uses brand
promotion to circumvent or dilute the regulatory effect of the Food and Beverage Code.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was supported by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)
(Grant number: 23108), and the University of North Carolina (Grant number: 5106249).
CORRESPONDENCE
* Mikateko Mafuyeka
Email: Mikateko.Mafuyeka@wits.ac.za
* Petronell Kruger
Email: Petronell.Kruger@wits.ac.za
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Scientific Abstracts PRESENTATION PHASA 2022
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