Limiting Ads of Junk Food to Children

LIMITING ADS OF JUNK FOOD TO CHILDREN
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Brooks Barnes]
Trying to persuade critics the industry does not need government regulation, 11 big food companies, including McDonald’s, Campbell Soup and PepsiCo, have agreed to stop advertising to children under 12 products that do not meet certain nutritional standards. Some of the companies, like Coca-Cola, have already withdrawn all such commercials or are in the process of doing so. Others, like General Mills, said they would withdraw them over the next year or so, while a handful agreed to expand their self-imposed bans to radio, print and Internet advertising. Still, the agreements will probably amount to a ripple rather than a sea change in terms of what foods children see pitched on their favorite television shows and Web sites. For example, while General Mills will no longer be advertising Trix to the 12-and-under crowd, it will continue to peddle Cocoa Puffs, which have one less gram of sugar per serving. And it will be able to continue advertising Trix on television shows and other media that are considered to cater to “families” rather than just children. The companies have also agreed for the first time to open their marketing plans to the Council of Better Business Bureaus and its Children’s Advertising Review Unit, which will review them and report publicly on the findings. This scrutiny and the pledges to self-regulate, which will be announced at a Federal Trade Commission event today, are an attempt to show corporate responsiveness to growing concerns about childhood obesity.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/business/18food.html
(requires registration)

* Major brands to revamp ads aimed at kids
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20070718/1b_kidads18.art.htm

* New Food Ads: One Small Step
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Editorial staff]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6462047.html