BPKN and KPAI Assert that Marketing AMDK Products Using Toddler Photos is Misleading

The National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN) and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) have condemned the marketing practices of bottled drinking water (AMDK) products that feature photos of children under five years old (toddlers). This practice is stated to violate food advertising oversight rules and ignores child protection principles for the sake of profit. BPKN Chairman Mufti Mubarok noted that the use of toddler visuals on general food products is explicitly prohibited under BPOM Regulation No. 6 of 2021, Article 14 letter bb. BPKN is prepared to follow up on public reports and recommend sanctions to the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM). “This regulation prohibits advertisements for processed food from featuring children under five years old, unless the product is specifically for toddlers. AMDK is a general food, not a baby-specific product,” he said in his statement in Jakarta on Saturday, 18 April 2026. The use of baby images, according to him, has the potential to mislead consumers by creating a false perception that the water is formulated specifically for babies, although there is no scientific basis for it. “If it creates the impression that it is intended for babies without special permission, it contradicts labelling provisions and violates the Consumer Protection Law,” he stated. In line with that, Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) Jasra Putra reminded that the involvement of children in advertisements must not be exploitative. “The best interests of the child must be the primary consideration, not exploited to disproportionately influence purchasing decisions,” he said. Meanwhile, communication expert Burhanuddin Abe assessed the AMDK company’s strategy as a form of symbolic exploitation, where the image of a baby is deliberately chosen due to its strong emotional appeal. “Consumers can pick up on the implicit message that this product has special advantages for children. This is emotional manipulation,” he said. The drinking water producer’s approach, he continued, can be seen as a tactic to justify any means to boost sales. The company appears aware of exploiting the emotional gap in Indonesian society, which is highly concerned with baby health, to build a positive perception without scientific foundation. This manipulative practice, he added, seems to repeat the sweetened condensed milk (SKM) products that previously used visuals of healthy children until they were banned by BPOM due to high sugar content, and now a similar pattern is occurring in the AMDK industry.