An event to promote the importance of eating breakfast to primary school children has come under fire for being an advertising stunt which promotes unhealthy food, news agency ANP reports on Wednesday.

The National School Breakfast, set to take place next week, is sponsored by the bread marketing board, ANP said.

But according to watchdog Foodwatch, the children are given bread, margarine, chocolate sprinkles and salty cheese spreads to eat. The products are supplied by the event’s sponsors.

Foodwatch says the government should intervene to make sure children are given the right message. ‘If the real aim is to emphasise the importance of a healthy breakfast, why are the children not offered fruit and vegetables?,’ a spokesman said.

Some 500,000 children took part in the event last year.

A spokesman for the organisers said there are logistical and timing problems with including fruit and vegetables in the breakfast packages.