Advertisers exploit young people’s “emotional vulnerabilities”, according to think-tank Compass, which this week launched a report and a campaign targeting the negative impact of commercialism on young people.

The report, The Commercialisation of Childhood, cites “aggressive marketing” as a factor in increasing mental health problems among young people, and also connects the promotion of “high levels of consumption” with youth crime such as mobile phone theft. It claims marketers “use gangs of ‘cool’ children to push products in their peer groups and communities, exploiting the power of peer pressure and children’s fears of not fitting in for profit-making”.

Zoe Williams, campaigns officer at Compass, said: “Teenagers are not only being sold to but they are being manipulated to sell to younger kids as well. There is a pressure on teenagers to live up to the idea of being cool, and this can cause difficulties; one of the biggest issues facing young people is mental health problems, and while we are not saying you can put all the blame on commercialisation, it is a factor.”

www.compassonline.org.uk/campaigns.asp