Food Giants Still Marketing Junk Food to Kids |
Children with Dog (© Photographer: Marzanna Syncerz | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
According to a statement released by U.S. Congressman Edward Markey, “Dannon, Nestlé, and Yum! Brands are unwilling to restrict marketing to kids.”
They were three of five companies that had received letters from the Congressman asking each to voluntarily implement restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children.
In July, 11 major food, beverage and restaurant companies pledged to the Council of Better Business Bureaus that they would eliminate the use of licensed characters to market unhealthy food and beverage products and limit marketing to children 12 and younger to foods that meet specific nutritional guidelines, or eliminate marketing to children altogether. Chuck E. Cheese, and ConAgra, were among the five giant food companies to receive letters from Congressman Markey and the two have agreed to join the initiative.
The responses from Dannon, Nestlé, and Yum! Brands declining to voluntarily limit marketing unhealthy foods to children could lead to legislation and government regulation of companies targeting children with their marketing campaigns.
“At a time when our country is facing a serious childhood obesity crisis, the responses from these companies raises the question of whether voluntary industry action will be sufficient to combat this important public health issue,” said Representative Markey.
The Congressman went on to say,
Two years ago the Institute of Medicine linked the current unhealthy trend toward poor nutrition and childhood obesity to the prevalence of television advertisements for fast food, junk food, sugared cereals, and other foods wholly lacking in nutritional value. These top food and beverage companies have an opportunity to play an important role in helping our children make healthier choices.
To read the press release on the topic from the Office of Congressman Markey go to: Nestlé, Others Slow to Join Movement to Limit Marketing Unhealthy Food to Kids
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
