Arla Enters Protein Water, WHO Targets Kids' Junk Food Ads

Arla's move into protein water reshapes the functional beverage category for every challenger brand in Europe. Plus, regulators are tightening their grip on supplements marketed to teens and junk food ads aimed at children — and your brand could be in the crosshairs. In this episode: Arla Foods, one of Europe's largest dairy cooperatives with around €13 billion in annual turnover, has launched a branded protein-infused water, signalling mainstream validation of the category and raising competitive pressure on specialist sports nutrition brands. Italian food safety publication Il Fatto Alimentare has criticised the teen protein supplement trend as scientifically unfounded and potentially harmful, citing social media as the key driver and warning of growing EU-level regulatory scrutiny of supplements and fortified foods marketed to under-18s. The WHO has issued formal recommendations calling for mandatory, legally binding restrictions on junk food and ultra-processed food advertising to children, with Italy drawing sharp criticism for continuing to rely on voluntary industry self-regulation instead of legislative action. Resource Ultra Plus, a high-protein, high-energy oral nutritional supplement engineered for maximum nutrient density in small serving volumes, has launched in Germany, highlighting the growing commercial convergence between clinical nutrition formats and mainstream functional food. The Health Marketing Daily is a concise briefing for marketers and founders in supplements, functional food and consumer health, hosted by Marco & Klara. New episode every day. Enjoying the show? A quick rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify helps other marketers find us. Also from Marco & Klara: The FMCG Marketing Daily · The Digital Commerce Daily