Mars Global Marketing Code

Mars prides itself on being recognised as a leader in responsible marketing and driving growth by doing what is right. As well as endorsing and abiding by the provisions contained in the International Chamber of Commerce Framework for Responsible Food and Beverage Marketing Communications, Mars was one of the first companies to launch its own Marketing Code in 2007.

The Mars Global Marketing Code for Human Food (the Code) sets out the standards that guide the way that Mars and its brands communicate and interact with consumers and is updated regularly to ensure it stays current in the context of the evolving media and digital landscape, consumer and stakeholder expectations. Its commitments serve as a framework through which Mars sets responsible boundaries for its marketing, based on scientific evidence, consumer insight, and a sensitivity for the concerns of stakeholders. The company has committed to:

• Not undertake any marketing directed to children under 13, regardless of the product's nutritional profile, and to uphold a 25% child audience threshold across all paid marketing of its human food products.
• Encourage balanced lifestyles and not condone nor promote excessive consumptionor compulsive snacking.
• Respect the privacy of consumers by not collecting data from or targeting behavioural advertising to under 16s.
• Be consistent withthe Mars Five Principles and Advertising Guidelines in the placement and content of its marketing.

Mars believes that effective governance of marketing requires transparency, accurate and consistent measurement of performance, accountability, and a dedication to continuous improvement. For this reason, since 2018, Mars has undertaken and published the results of an annual global third-party audit of compliance with its commitments in 15 countries (including five EU Member States: Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland) representing over 80% of its marketing spend. Mars has set high goals to remain more than 95% compliant with media content standards and more than 97% compliant with media placement standards - which it has exceeded in its latest reporting.